Sony's hopes for Uncharted 2 could risk making the movie's video game problem even worse. The long-awaited live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog's hit video game franchise finally came in 2022. Uncharted is a clear hit for Sony despite its lackluster reviews, as audiences worldwide have made the movie a box office hit. In doing so, it is all but confirmed that Tom Holland's Nathan Drake would return for another adventure. While Uncharted 2 will likely try to fix some of the criticisms the first film received, that might also mean turning one problem into an even bigger one.
Due to the popularity of the Uncharted video games, many fans were always going to be protective and critical of how closely the movie adaptation followed the source material. Even though Sony decided to make the film about a younger Nathan Drake than the games featured, that didn't stop some from identifying the lack of similarities to the games as a problem. While Uncharted lifted sequences straight from the games and featured recognizable characters like Sully and Chloe, many people noticed all the differences. Unfortunately for Sony's potential franchise, Uncharted 2 might make that problem even more noticeable.
The eventual continuation of Nathan Drake's story in Uncharted 2 is Sony's opportunity to prove that they can make a movie that lives up to the thrills and adventure of the video game franchise. However, that also means moving Tom Holland's younger version of Drake closer to the older version from the games. The issue with this is that these comparisons are arguably where Uncharted suffers the most. The movies are showing Holland's Nathan Drake mature into the confident treasure hunter from the games. As Uncharted 2 progresses Drake's story, it only makes sense for the movie's version of the character to become more like the games. That will be a great move if the sequels do it right, but it also puts even more pressure on Tom Holland and the sequel to deliver a version of Nathan Drake that many longtime fans recognize or risk more criticisms.
Sony has already indicated that Uncharted 2 will take on more video game elements for better or worse. The Uncharted post-credit scenes teased the search for El Dorado and the plot of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, while also giving Sully his signature mustache. The movie also confirmed that Nathan's brother Sam is still alive, spoiling a twist the games saved for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Incorporating these various video game elements will only increase comparisons between Uncharted 2 and what the games did in of action, adventure, and storytelling. This could be exactly the correct answer to Uncharted's video game criticisms, but it also risks these problems escalating if the sequel delivers lesser versions of the stories many fans already know and love.
Ultimately, the video game comparisons are a double-edged sword for the Uncharted franchise's future. If the sequel veers too far away from what many pre-existing fans recognize as a Nathan Drake adventure, the movie franchise could lose its biggest ers. Meanwhile, shifting the franchise's focus to be more like the games invites more direct comparisons between the movie and games. Uncharted's prequel status gave it more freedom, but Uncharted 2 will have less room for creative liberties as Nathan Drake becomes more like the adventure from the video games. While it could certainly backfire, it also puts the sequel in a position to be precisely what so many video game movie fans want if it delivers.
