The Uncharted movie features a number of beloved characters from the popular video game franchise, though they were all changed in one way or another in the transition to the big screen. The film, which was in development since 2008, stars Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Taylor Ali, Tati Gabrielle, and Antonio Banderas. Uncharted was released in theaters on February 18, 2022.
When pulling from a huge franchise like the Uncharted video games, it can be tough to decide which characters to include and which to keep out. The film is actually set prior to the events of the first Uncharted game, which naturally excludes some of the series’ most prominent characters. Elena Fisher, for instance, does not appear in the Uncharted movie, and Nathan Drake’s brother Sam—though featured briefly at the beginning and mentioned throughout—doesn't play a large role.
Still, Sony’s Uncharted movie has a few instantly recognizable names from the video games. Some of their appearances and characteristics were translated pretty directly, while other aspects of their personas are notably changed. Here are all the Uncharted video game characters who appear in the movie, and how they’re different from their video game counterparts.
Nathan Drake
Leading the way in Uncharted is Tom Holland’s Nathan Drake. Because the film is set prior to the events of the first video game, Nate’s a bit younger than in the video games. He looks a bit older than he does in the flashback sequences of Uncharted 3, placing him somewhere in his late teens or early twenties this time around. Along with that change in age comes a change in personality, as Holland’s Nathan Drake is a bit softer and more naïve than the devilish rogue of the video games. That makes some sense given that he’s so much younger in the film, but it’s still not a close adaptation of the game. On the bright side, the Uncharted movie gets Nate’s video game outfit down perfectly.
Victor “Sully” Sullivan
Standing alongside Holland’s Nathan Drake in Uncharted is Mark Wahlberg’s Victor “Sully” Sullivan—Nate’s close friend and mentor from the games. Like Drake, Sully was been aged down substantially for the movie, even to the point of losing his iconic moustache. Out of all the returning Uncharted characters, Sully was also the most altered in his personality, with very little of the gruff, cigar-chomping attitude that made him so popular in the games. Still, the Uncharted movie does feature some classic moments of Sully gruffness, even if Mark Wahlberg plays it a bit differently.
Chloe Frazer
The last major Uncharted video game character featured in the Tom Holland movie is Chloe Frazer, played by Sophia Taylor Ali. Out of the three, Chloe is the most similar to her video game counterpart. Like Sully and Drake, Chloe is much younger in Holland's Uncharted prequel movie than she is in her first appearance in Uncharted 2, but she still has the same snarky persona, and she does consistently have a double-cross or two up her sleeve. That’s a trademark of Chloe’s in the Uncharted video games, so it's good to see it manifested in the movie as well.
Sam Drake
Nathan's older brother, Sam Drake, is an important figure in his life but not a consistent presence in the Uncharted movie. Rather, it's Sam's absence that's important, since this is part of what drives Nathan's adventurous spirit. Sam Drake also doesn't play a major role in the Uncharted video game franchise until Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, as he's spent a while in jail. To this end, the movie's adaptation of Sam is accurate enough: he's a confident, clever, rebellious treasure-hunter who never stays in one place for long and serves mainly as a contrast to Uncharted's protagonist, Nathan Drake.
Young Nathan
Lastly, Uncharted features a short appearance from one other video game character: young Nathan Drake himself. Like Sam Drake, young Nathan isn't a consistent character in the games, instead appearing in key flashbacks that flesh out more of his adult self's backstory. Once again, the Uncharted movie keeps things pretty accurate, with young Nathan iring his older brother and picking up some of his swashbuckling, troublemaking habits.
