Uncharted: Tom Holland talks stressful task of finding the right director

Last Updated on January 12, 2022

The production history of the video game adaptation Uncharted has been a problematic one, to say the least. Even before the COVID-19 delays, the film went through gaining and losing a series of directors before landing on Ruben Fleischer for the finished product. Apparently, that search for a director was particularly stressful for Uncharted and Tom Holland is detailing that journey in a recent interview.

During an interview with Total Film, Holland spoke about the challenges of finding the right director for the movie. The actor recalls how some previously attached filmmakers “had ideas that we didn’t like” and that led to the frequent comings and going’s behind the scenes. Speaking specifically about the characterization of the protagonists, he adds “There were very different variations of Drake, and […] Sully”. Holland details how some of the directors wanted to “make the game” in a supposedly shot-for-shot fashion, while other candidates strayed from the source material drastically. Holland star doesn’t look back on the process all too fondly, adding “It’s quite stressful looking for a director”.:

“Some of [the directors] came in, and had ideas that we didn’t like, that just didn’t fit the characters, and we had to move on to other people. We took inspiration from everyone. There were very different variations of Drake, and very different variations of Sully. Some people preferred to make the game, some people wanted to make it completely different to the game. It was an interesting process – one that I wouldn’t like to be in again. It’s quite stressful looking for a director.”

Uncharted has been in development since 2008 but has seen its share of behind-the-scenes complications. Several filmmakers, including David O. Russell, Neil Burger, Seth Gordon, Shawn Levy, Dan Trachtenberg, and Travis Knight, were all initially signed to direct at some point while Nathan Fillion, Chris Pratt, and Mark Wahlberg, who is now playing Victor Sullivan, were rumored to be playing Nathan Drake. Holland ultimately landed the role in 2017 and principal photography began in July 2020 following various delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic which also had the film shifting release dates on several occasions.

Uncharted, directed by Ruben Fleischer, serves as the origin story for protagonist Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) from the video games of the same name created by Amy Hennig. Uncharted is an action-adventure game that follows Drake, a treasure hunter, who travels across the world to uncover various historical mysteries. The main series began with “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune”, released on PlayStation 3 in 2007, and was followed by several sequels. The series has been universally acclaimed and commercially successful, having shipped more than 41 million units, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The film also stars Mark Wahlberg as his future mentor Victor Sullivan along with a supporting cast that includes Antonio Banderas, Sophia Taylor Ali, and Tati Gabrielle. Uncharted hits screens on February 18, 2022.

After finally finding a director and Tom Holland, Uncharted is set to hit theaters on February 18?