Just over two years after its long-awaited theatrical debut, Sony Pictures has officially greenlit a sequel to its Uncharted film adaptation. The confirmation came directly from Sony executives during the studio’s presentation at the CineEurope 2024 trade show in Barcelona.
While light on specific details, the acknowledgment puts to rest swirling rumors and sets in motion plans to continue the big-screen adventures of fortune hunter Nathan Drake and his mentor Victor “Sully” Sullivan, played by Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg respectively.
Uncharted’s 2022 film introduction served as an origin story depicting the first meeting between the wisecracking duo. Its $139 million global opening led Sony to quickly champion the long-gestating video game movie as a new franchise tentpole.
“It’s a new hit movie franchise for the company,” gushed Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman after the Uncharted film’s successful premiere.
Wahlberg had already teased being instructed to grow out his signature mustache again – a callback to the older, more rugged look for Sully seen across Naughty Dog’s acclaimed PlayStation games on which the films are loosely based.
“I just got a call today that they got the script in,” the actor shared earlier this year. “They said, ‘Start growing your mustache. It’s gonna take a while.'”
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Indeed, the Uncharted movie’s final moments suggested the follow-up would adapt elements from the very first game, 2007’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. That blockbuster origin title depicted Drake and Sully’s globe-trotting pursuit of the lost riches of Sir Francis Drake – a journey which led to encounters with nefarious competitors, supernatural mythology, and plenty of over-the-top action setpieces.
The inaugural Uncharted film ended by nodding to that premise, with Holland donning Drake’s iconic necklace just as Wahlberg’s Sully sported Naughty Dog’s faithful gray mustache in a clear tease of what’s to come. The central creative team, including producer Charles Roven, has steadily expressed intentions to continue the cinematic franchise too.
Of course, key questions remain unanswered – such as whether other game characters like Elena Fisher could appear, and which director might take the reins after the previous film overcame a lengthy, turbulent development process. But at minimum, Sony has planted its flag by confirming the next thrilling expedition is underway.
For fans of the beloved action-adventure property, an Uncharted sequel represents another chance to bring Naughty Dog’s iconic treasure hunters to sweeping blockbuster life on the big screen. And with the video game series remaining dormant since 2017’s Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, the films allow its globetrotting spirit to endure through a new medium.
