Neil Burger (“The Illusionist”) will direct the feature film version of “Uncharted”, originally reserved for “Fighter” helmer David O.Russell.
With a third installment of the PlayStation franchise “Uncharted” hitting consoles this fall, Sony is eager to get a version of the videogame onto the bigscreen, tapping Burger to write and direct the first adventure, “Drake’s Fortune.”
O.Russell left the project over creative differences. Mark Wahlberg, Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro were being lined up to star at that stage.
Variety reports :
Sony is high on “Uncharted,” eyeing a film adaptation of the Naughty Dog-produced property as the potential launch of its own “Indiana Jones”-like franchise after the first two games turned into a standout hit exclusive to the PlayStation division.
First game, “Drake’s Fortune,” bowed in 2007, and introduced Nathan Drake, a descendant of explorer Sir Francis Drake, on a quest for goes on a quest to seek the lost treasure of El Dorado with the help of his friend Victor “Sully” Sullivan and a journalist. The sequel, “Among Thieves,” was released in 2009, while “Drake’s Deception” hits store shelves Nov. 11.
Overall, the games have sold nearly 6 million copies.
Title would be the first of the PlayStation-exclusive franchises — which include the “God of War,” “Resistence,” “inFamous,” “Ratchet & Clank,” “Little Big Planet” and “Killzone” — to be turned into a film at a time when Hollywood is eager to adapt videogames, toys and other pop culture properties.
Burger landed the offer after the studio and producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Charles Roven and Alex Gartner sparked to his new take on the pic — one that’s more closely tied to the game.
He will rework the project after Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer penned the first draft.
Mark Wahlberg had been interested in starring, but his status is unclear now that Russell (who worked with him on “The Fighter”) is no longer directing.
Burger’s “Limitless,” which starred Bradley Cooper and was produced for $27 million, has scored $153 million worldwide since its March release for Relativity and Virgin Produced.
Helmer, who is repped by CAA, also directed magician tale “The Illusionist,” roadtrip comedy “The Lucky Ones” and faux docu “Interview With the Assassin.” He had once been in talks to resurrect Universal’s “Bride of Frankenstein.”
So, if Wahlberg is no longer playing Drake (which, considering O.Russell has left, he might not be) who do you see in the film?
