Uncharted fans divided over Nathan Drake recast: 'I'll never see it'

Uncharted fans are divided over a Nathan Drake recast, some of whom can never see this actor as the charismatic character.

Developed by Naughty Dog, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was released on the PlayStation 3 in 2007. While not being a perfect action-adventure game, it set the foundation of what would eventually become one of the most popular franchises for Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Each Uncharted sequel built upon its predecessor, offering more immersive stories starring Nathan Drake and friends, as well as improved gameplay, visuals and more.

The latest entry in the series arrived in 2017, with Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, a spin-off to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.

To capitalise on the popularity of Uncharted, in 2022, Sony adapted the series into a live-action movie with Spider-Man star Tom Holland as a young Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as his mentor, Victor Sullivan.

“Sorry, but I will never see him as Nathan Drake,” said Redditor ArkhamArtist, kicking off the discussion. “Actors don’t always have to look exactly like their characters, but he does not have the voice for Nate either.”

“If there were an animation and he voiced Nate, it would sound way off. He was cast just because his name would bring people to watch it. Which is ironic because Uncharted is big enough to bring fans to the theatres on its own.”

“The movie itself wasn’t bad, nor was Tom, but I can never see him as Nathan Drake,” agreed Lil-Mangoxx. “Nathan Fillion and Nolan North will always be Nathan Drake to me.”

“I’m telling you right now that if Tom Holland was not cast as Nathan Drake, the movie would have never been made,” said OhKayGetAwayFromMe, who makes a valid point with production being in limbo for well over a decade.

“The movie was dead in the water until they cast him. They needed a big name to draw an audience in, especially the younger crowd. The Uncharted name was not well-known enough to draw in a crowd. He was coming off Spider-Man and was one of the most popular names in cinema.”

“I can see Tom as a young Nate, like in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, but yeah, I can't see him as an older Nate. The role really doesn't suit him,” said iGreyFox.

“I actually enjoyed this movie, and Tom as Nate. It feels like I’m in a very small minority,” replied a Reddit user.

Hopefully, whenever the second Uncharted movie arrives, both Tom and Mark will win over fans on the fence. That being said, I just want Uncharted 5, already!