Not that we’ve been covering the project extensively, but here’s a tidbit certainly worth sharing. Due to creative differences with Sony, David O’Russell has pulled out of directing UNCHARTED: DRAKE’S FORTUNE.
Word from Variety is the split was an amicable one, and although O’Russell has chosen to pursue other projects, the studio will forge ahead with UNCHARTED. A new writer is currently being sought after, this despite Sony being rather high on the script from Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer.
I suppose David’s departure comes early enough in pre-production that the final product shouldn’t suffer too much. No acting talent is yet involved, though rumblings about Mark Wahlberg taking the lead were heard in the past. With new writers and a new director involved, expect UNCHARTED to undergo a massive overhaul.
Interestingly, a THR article claims Russell was not only hell-bent on reuniting with his THE FIGHTER co-star (Wahlberg), he actually presented a 200 page draft of the script that had a slew of new characters not found in the videogame. As you can guess, Sony was none too plussed.
I guess we’ll never really know the reason for the departure.
Based on the popular 2007 PS3 videogame, “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” follows fortune hunter Nathan Drake, who is a descendant of explorer Sir Francis Drake. Believing he has learned the whereabouts of El Dorado, the fabled South American golden city, from a cursed golden statue, he embarks on a journey to find it. The search becomes competitive and dangerous when a rival hunter joins the fray and mutated creatures begin attacking those hoping to learn the treasure’s true secrets.
THE FIGHTER hottie Amy Adams!