Rumors have been swirling for years about a potential Uncharted movie being in the works. Mark Wahlberg was initially attached to play Nathan Drake, before that fell through. Recently, however, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War star, Tom Holland, is said to be scheduled to play the role, as a younger version of the character.
Many Uncharted fans’ opinions changed recently, though, after Nathan Fillion released a live-action Uncharted short-film, in which he played the lead role. He’s excellent as the character, nailing the look and personality of the adored character. It’s got people talking about a potential film again, with many shouting for Fillion to play the role officially. He clearly has the passion for it.
However, should the producers of a live-action movie adaptation choose to go down a different route, ignoring Fillion and the likes of Mark Wahlberg and Tom Holland, the following names are some of those that they should have in mind.
Dan Stevens
You may not think the man who plays Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey would be the best choice to play the roguish adventurer, but he’s not shy about waving a gun around or showing off his lighter side. The Guest, the excellent Adam Wingard-directed film from 2014, sees Stevens play a soldier who claims to be the friend of a family’s son who died in combat. However, he isn’t the friendly hero he initially seems.
He certainly has the acting chops to play such a beloved character, as he showcased in the likes of Downton and Beauty and the Beast, and he matches Drake’s build, if a little on the chiseled side. The only question that remains is whether he can pull of Drake’s signature charm, which is something that makes the treasure hunter who he is.
Bradley Cooper
Alongside the likes of Chris Pratt and Mark Walhberg, Bradley Cooper has been at the top of many people’s ‘who should play Nathan Drake?’ lists, and it’s easy to see why. First things first, they look scarily similar. Cooper’s hair color, jawline, and his general facial features look just like Drake’s, but he would bring more than just his looks to the role.
Not only is he a three-time Academy Award nominated actor, but he brings the A-list celebrity status to the role that Sony would inevitably be looking for. Nolan North (Drake himself) said, “the business of Hollywood dictates that you need a big name on the billboard,” when talking about who he sees playing the role and who he expects the producers to target. Cooper may not be used to playing characters like Drake, but his acting ability, looks, and status make him perfect for the role in more than just the eyes of the fans.
Scott Eastwood
Scott Eastwood has a lot going for him when it comes to being in the running for the role of Nathan Drake. His physique and good looks make him look the part, and at the age of 32, he’s probably the right age to be playing the character that we’ve seen in the games.
However, his back catalogue of titles isn’t particularly impressive. He’s Lieutenant GQ Edwards in the much maligned Suicide Squad and Luke Collins in the Nicholas Sparks adaptation, The Longest Ride, but the remainder of his roles tend to be smaller ones. He’s got the looks and the charm, and it could be time for him to take the step up and be the leading man as a well-known character. He certainly wouldn’t be the first to do so, just look at Daniel Craig as James Bond.
Robbie Amell
Robbie Amell may be on the young side for playing the Nathan Drake that we’re used to, the one who’s coming towards the end of his career as a treasure hunter, but his acting portfolio is varied enough to suggest that he could do the character justice. He has played lovable young men in enough rom-coms to prove that he’s got a comedic, likeable side that could be perfect for an Uncharted film, and he’s appeared in enough lighthearted action TV shows and movies to show his swashbuckling side. Having featured in The Flash, The Tomorrow People, and Superhero Fight Club, he’s no novice when it comes to the type of fast-paced action we might see in an Uncharted movie. He’s not known as a leading man yet, however, but maybe Drake could be his first role of that stature.
Joe Flanigan
In terms of pure facial resemblance, it’s difficult to look past Joe Flanigan for the Nathan Drake role. While we do not know what age Drake would be in a potential movie, Flanigan might be too old to play the Drake we’re used to. Having turned 51 at the start of 2018, he may have passed his treasure hunting prime, but there’s always technological trickery to take into account. The magicians at Sony would surely be able to do something to take a year or two off him. He’s excellent as Sheppard in Stargate: Atlantis, and could comfortably pull off the character should the producers choose to go down the older Drake route. If you haven’t seen it, check out the trailer for Ferocious Planet, an admittedly terrible film in which Flanigan plays a very Drake-like character. He even gets the “oh, crap” spot on.
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