Directed by Ruben Fleischer (“Zombieland”), “Uncharted” is an action-adventure treasure hunt film. It follows Nathan Drake (Tom Holland), a young fortune hunter who discovers his brother Sam has disappeared while searching for the treasure of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew. Accompanied by fellow fortune hunters Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) and Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali), Nathan embarks on a grand adventure that takes him from the United States to Spain to the Philippines in search of the loot. of Magellan’s expedition, all while fighting the forces of Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), the scion of the family that funded Magellan’s expedition, and mercenary Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle).
Like most treasure hunt films, the mythology of “Uncharted” is steeped in history. It’s one of the things that makes movies like these undeniably appealing to audiences. If the film’s close association with historical figures and past events has you wondering if it’s based on a true story, that’s what you need to know.
Is Uncharted a true story?
No, ‘Uncharted’ is not based on a true story. It is the film adaptation of the eponymous series of games developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation consoles. Rafe Lee Judkins, Jon Hanley Rosenberg, and Mark D. Walker originally wrote a story based on the game, and it was later turned into a screenplay by Judkins, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway.
The game series was originally created by Amy Hennig. The Naughty Dog staff drew inspiration from multiple sources while developing Nathan as a character. He reportedly got his looks and charm from daredevil and actor Johnny Knoxville and his gritty and magnetism from actors like Bruce Willis and Harrison Ford. The inherent charisma of romantic and action-adventure stars such as Cary Grant is also blended into it. Above all, they wanted players to feel a sense of connection with the protagonist. So, Nathan has many characteristics that make him quite relatable.
“When we set out to make Uncharted, we decided to tackle one of those beloved action-adventure games in the spirit of all that tradition,” Hennig said in an interview. “We knew to be successful we had to have a hero who was completely relatable, just a regular guy. So when people saw it and said, ‘Why do I want to play a guy in a t-shirt and jeans’, it was a deliberate decision on our part, to say look, it’s just a guy. He’s like you and me. Maybe a bit extraordinary in the sense that he has stronger fingertips.
As mentioned above, the narrative of “Uncharted” is built on a solid historical foundation. Nathan and Sam are the fictional descendants of Sir Francis Drake, a real 16th century English explorer. Magellan’s expedition also took place, although Emperor Charles V funded it, not the Moncada family as portrayed in the film. It began in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain, on September 20, 1519, and ended in the same location nearly three years later on September 6, 1522. The main objective of the expedition was to locate a sea route west to the Spice Islands or the Moluccas because, at the time, the Portuguese had control of the eastern routes. The expedition is best known for the first complete circumnavigation of the Earth. However, the treasure aspect of the story appears to be fictional.
In an interview for Forbes, Fleischer was asked about the influence movies like “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” had on him and whether that made him the perfect choice to direct “Uncharted.” “I’m not quite sure how to answer that question, but I think there’s a generation of filmmakers our age who have been so inspired by classic directors like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Joe Dante and Amblin movies, that it’s become cyclical,” the ‘Venom’ director said in response.
“We are now sort of evoking some of those same spirits. To me, those 80s movies like Raiders and Back to the Future are the best movies ever made,” Fleischer said. But apart from that, the director also cited various productions such as “Star Wars”, “Midnight Run” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” as inspiration. Obviously, “Uncharted” isn’t based on a true story. But it’s perfectly understandable if someone thinks that’s the case.
Read more: Is Uncharted’s Victor “Sully” Sullivan based on a real treasure hunter?
