David O. Russell Compares 'Uncharted' Movie to 'The Sopranos'

Thank You Russell for destroying one of the best video game franchises ever made. Uncharted supposed to be about family dynamics? Art and antiquities and criminals? Oh please just cancel this movie. How can Naughty Dog let this happen? Where's Uwe Boll when you need him.

David O. Russell Compares 'Uncharted' Movie to 'The Sopranos'

Director David O. Russell admits that while he respects fans of the 'Uncharted' video game series, his film adaptation will make several changes to the source material – including turning the Drakes into a Sopranos-esque crime family.

Earlier this month, there was speculation that eclectic filmmaker David O. Russell might helm a big-screen adaptation ofthe comic book2 Gunsbefore tackling the long-gestatingUnchartedmovie. Despite laying claim to a resume that's filled with unique and entertaining films (including the Oscar-nominatedThe Fighter), Russell has always been a controversial choice among fans of theUnchartedvideo game series.

Though the director's past work gives little indication that he's capable of handling a mainstream action epic, his films are so wildly different from one another that there's nothing to indicate he couldn't either make a great action film as well. However, Russell got off on the wrong foot with gamers almost immediately by castingMark Wahlberg as Nathan Drake.

It's no secret that mostUnchartedfans had always hoped Nathan Fillion (Castle) would land the lead role and truth be told, I completely understand their apprehension with Wahlberg. While it felt way too early to write the film off entirely, Russell dug himself into a deeper hole a few weeks later when he revealed his desire to cast Robert DeNiro as Nathan's father and Joe Pesci as his uncle. Hisemphasis on their family dynamicseemed at odds with the core concept ofUncharted.

Not long after, one of the developers of theUncharted: Drake's Deceptionvideo game claimed that everything we'd heard about Russell's approach to the materialwas mostly false. If that statement came as a relief to you – I'm afraid we've got some bad news today…

Russell recently spoke withIGNand, although there's no mention of2 Guns, it's clear that he's still very interested inUncharted– and the family drama angle:

"I think if we take that family dynamic that we have in The Fighter, and put that in terms of a grander stage, with a crime family that metes out justice in the world of art and antiquities. If you're the head of a museum, or head of state, you've got to deal with them, and they're badass. They're like the Sopranos in some ways, but they have great taste, and they have a sense of justice. I would love to do that with Mark [Wahlberg], Robert De Niro, and a couple of hot women, it could be very thrilling."

That's incredibly similar to what was first reported regarding Russell's intentions for the film, so at this point it seems clear that, like it or not, this is the direction that theUnchartedmovie is headed in. Russell also mentions that while he respects the video game series and its fans, changes to the source material are essentially par for the course when dealing with a movie adaptation:

"I don't think that you can please everybody, but I will tell you this – I won't make it unless I can make a great movie. I don't think there are too many games you can play through that make you go – "Well that'll make a great movie." There's not a lot of references on it, so I don't think there's a blueprint that says you must directly translate the game to the screen … I want the gamers to be happy. I have total respect for the game. My kid loves playing it, I love playing it. I just want to create a world that takes it to another level, that's another amazing world that's more cinematic."

I've been a huge admirer of Russell's work for some time now and initially I thought such an unlikely match of director and material might make for something more exciting than a typical video game movie. Now I'm to the point where I'm wondering how much time Russell's actually spent playing these games.

Quite honestly, this feels a bit like a lose-lose scenario. From the very beginning, one problem with anUnchartedmovie has always been that the games are already undeniably cinematic and a strict adaptation ofUnchartedmight ultimately feel derivative of other movies (particularly the ones the series clearly draws inspiration from).

So it's easy to understand Russell's desire to bring something new to the table, but then you're left with a legion of fans wondering why they even bothered calling the movieUnchartedin the first place. I'm sure you could find a happy medium between those two extremes, but right now it sounds like Russell's movie could be missing some of the fundamental aspects that have made this series so popular.Then again, ifUnchartedis being developed as a major tentpole release, the primary focus is no doubt on appealing to a wide general audience. Alienating hardcore gamers might not be a terribly important concern for the studio or the filmmakers.

I've enjoyed all of Russell's movies to date and I really wantUnchartedto work – but it's becoming obvious that there are going to be some glaring differences between the movie and the games.

I heard Russell is the most evil director in Hollywood outside of James Cameron, he even fought George Clooney on a set before. No surprise he will ruin this movie.

I'll hold my judgment till I see a trailer.

This movie sounds awful. I hate David O. Russell.

I think they're trying to change it up because they realized how cookie cutter and generic the Uncharted cast/plot becomes once take it away from the video game medium.

He's a talented director. Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees and The Fighter are really interesting movies. This is going to be interesting. On one hand you have to respect source material. On the other, if you return Uncharted back to the film medium, and stick closely to the game, its no longer you playing through a highly cinematic game. It might become just another action film. So to expand on the material and actually make it about something could be a lot more successful. The balance has to be there. I just hope this doesn't lead to net fanboys sledging O. Russell when they don't know anything about him. He is a good filmmaker.

Both are incredibly overrated series that gained their popularity off the backs of other series. Valid comparison.Pixel-Pirate

I think the second game is deserving of its high scores in terms of being a well-made game, but it boggles my mind that people can look at the characters at see anything other generic stock characters. Seriously, if you get somebody who is not into video games (which I have done before) and have them watch Uncharted 2 for awhile, they will tell you that the characters are incredibly vanilla and undistinctive.

He's a talented director. Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees and The Fighter are really interesting movies. This is going to be interesting. On one hand you have to respect source material. On the other, if you return Uncharted back to the film medium, and stick closely to the game, its no longer you playing through a highly cinematic game. It might become just another action film. So to expand on the material and actually make it about something could be a lot more successful. The balance has to be there. I just hope this doesn't lead to net fanboys sledging O. Russell when they don't know anything about him. He is a good filmmaker.

biggest_loser

I think that is inevitable.

Alot of what makes Uncharted 2 special as far as a video game is the incredibly slick visuals and custscene direction.

But it loses that advantage once it is turned into a movie and has to rely on characters, plot and concept, three categories in which it is not distinctive.

On the other hand, Russell's ideas sound dumb even if I understand his desire to make the concept more meaty.

I really don't understand the point of making this movie. There are games out there that provide far more for a director to work with.

I just hope this doesn't lead to net fanboys sledging O. Russell when they don't know anything about him. He is a good filmmaker.biggest_loser

He's also a childish prick.

It's a dumb idea, but so is making an Uncharted movie to begin with. Take away the slick gameplay from the games and all you have is Indiana Jones-lite (or, pehaps more accurately, Dude Raider) starring Nathan Fillion.

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]I just hope this doesn't lead to net fanboys sledging O. Russell when they don't know anything about him. He is a good filmmaker.Pffrbt

He's also a childish prick.

Darn you Hollywood. This movie's going to fail now :x.

[QUOTE="Pffrbt"]

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]I just hope this doesn't lead to net fanboys sledging O. Russell when they don't know anything about him. He is a good filmmaker.biggest_loser

He's also a childish prick.

What a fool

I think they're trying to change it up because they realized how cookie cutter and generic the Uncharted cast/plot becomes once take it away from the video game medium.

GreySeal9

That's not entirely untrue.

[QUOTE="Pixel-Pirate"]Both are incredibly overrated series that gained their popularity off the backs of other series. Valid comparison.GreySeal9

I think the second game is deserving of its high scores in terms of being a well-made game, but it boggles my mind that people can look at the characters at see anything other generic stock characters. Seriously, if you get somebody who is not into video games (which I have done before) and have them watch Uncharted 2 for awhile, they will tell you that the characters are incredibly vanilla and undistinctive.

That's what makes them so lovable :P

Making Uncharted something it isn't is far worse than sticking to it's cookie cutter adventure movie roots. They could have just gotten away with it making it more of a "homage" movie in the vein of Kill Bill or such.

In the interests of me and many other gamers I'd rather not have an Uncharted movie at all. It doesn't need one.

I wonder if this movie will be able to outdo the Resident Evil series as a worse adaptation of a video game series.

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]

[QUOTE="Pffrbt"]

He's also a childish prick.

Pffrbt

Both Three Kings and The Fighter rate at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Have you seen those? Or any of his films?biggest_loser

Yes, they're nothing special. The fact that they're from an a****** manchild that treats his cast and crew like s*** also dampers the enjoyment somewhat.