Warning: This post contains spoilers for Uncharted!
Much like every comic book or video game-based movie nowadays, Sony's The Uncharted movie follows an original story, rather than directly adapting one of Naughty Dog's games, but even then, the film is packed with references to the Uncharted game series.
With Uncharted being one of PlayStation's most beloved franchises, it's no surprise that the movie adaptation leans heavily on the source material, even with its original premise. Most of the references in Uncharted are visual callbacks to the games, mainly through character and set design. However, the film does not waste the opportunity to directly borrow famous lines and popular lines from the games.
From unexpected cameos to action sequences lifted directly from the games, Uncharted features numerous references that attentive viewers would pick up. Some are clear as day, while others require extensive knowledge of the Uncharted lore to catch. Here are all of the Easter eggs and video game references in PlayStation Productions' first release, Uncharted.
25. Flash-forward To Start The Film
The film kicks off with a flash-forward, showing Tom Holland's Nathan Drake suspended in mid-air. While audiences do not get to see how this precarious situation unfolds right away, it is revisited later on in the film. This is a callback to two of the four main Uncharted games. Both Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End begin with Nathan Drake in a life-threatening situation, which later turns out to be one of the biggest set-pieces of the game's story. In Uncharted 2, it was the famous train crash sequence, and in the case of Uncharted 4, some light naval warfare
24. Nathan’s Brother: Sam Drake
While the games did not introduce him until Uncharted 4, the Uncharted film wastes no time in introducing Nate's brother, Sam Drake (Rudy Pankow). Sam's arc in the film is very similar to his arc in the fourth game. He is presumed dead after Mark Wahlberg's Sully tells Nate that he was shot by Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle). However, the film's first post-credits scene teases his return in a potential sequel.
23. Sam And Nate Breaking And Entering
In a flashback to Nate's origin, He and his brother break into a mansion full of valuable artifacts. In the fourth game, a very similar situation takes place. Sam and Nate break into the house of an elderly woman who is a collector of ancient relics. It is in that scene that they discover that their mother used to work for this woman, which motivates them to lead a life of treasure hunting and adventure. It remains to be seen whether the history of Nathan Drake and Sam's mother will be explored in the sequel, but the first film already set that up.
22. Sam’s Lighter
In Uncharted, Sam gives Nate his lighter before he leaves him in search of a more exciting life. The lighter pops up multiple times throughout the film, and Nates ends up using it to find the final clue he needs to locate the treasure. While the film uses the lighter mostly for comic relief, it is actually a reference to the games. Nate and Sam use the lighter quite often to solve puzzles in Uncharted 4, which led them to Avery's treasure.
21. Nathan And Sam Were In A Catholic Boys Home Run By Nuns
In the Uncharted games, Nate and Sam grew up in Saint Francis' Boy's Home, which is run by nuns, after they were orphaned due to their mother's suicide. This is replicated in the film, as it is revealed during Nate's flashback that he and Sam lived in the Catholic orphanage throughout their childhood. Sam even leaves Nate in the orphanage by himself after getting caught sneaking out, which also takes place in the film.
20. Uncharted Font Used For Locations
With Uncharted being the globe-trotting adventure that it is, the creative team behind the film decided to use bold lines of text to declare every new location. Fans of the games would have noticed that it was the same text used by Naughty Dog for the game titles. It's a subtle hint that few would have caught, but it shows that the film is not shying away from its video-game roots.
19. Nathan Drake's Ring and Motto
Perhaps the most famous artifact from the Uncharted games, Nathan Drake's ring, makes its way into the film. The silver ring is etched with the Latin phrase "Sic Parvis Magna" which translates to "Greatness from small beginnings," as Sam tells Nate in the film. In the first game, the ring helps Nate find the empty coffin of Sir Francis Drake, the original owner of the ring, which leads him on a journey to the lost city of El Dorado.
18. Naughty Dog Logo
The logo of Naughty Dog, the studio behind the Uncharted game series, is briefly seen in the film. The logo takes the form of a sticker on the inside of Nate's suitcase and can be seen for a split second when Nate rummages through his suitcase looking for Sam's postcards. It's a subtle detail that pays homage to the studio that gave birth to this wildly successful franchise.
17. Nate And Sully’s Auction Plan
In an attempt to secure one of two Magellan crosses, Nate and Sully devise a plan to steal it from an auction house where it would be put up for sale. Their plan, which involves Nate cutting the power so that Sully can steal the cross under the cover of darkness, is the same plan the pair devised to rob an auction house in Uncharted 4. The game even saw Sam dress up as one f the auction house workers to blend in, which Sully did himself in the film.
16. The Cross At The Auction
The cross that the pair are trying to steal from the auction is itself a reference to the game. While the two treasure hunters were trying to steal a Magellan cross in the film, the video game saw them trying to steal a Saint Dismas Cross. In both the Uncharted film and the game, the cross leads the treasure hunters to a pirate ship inside a cave on an island, full of gold and artifacts.
