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Good Writing Gets Bad Writers

Uncharted Gets a New Team / TK

Trade News | November 24, 2009 | Comments (21)

News broke a few months ago that Sony was making the hit video game “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” into a film, and that Kyle Ward (also writing the Kane and Lynch adaptation) had signed on to write the screenplay. Well, according to Slashfilm (via Latino Review), that deal has died since Ward is first obligated to write Hitman 2, and Sony has tapped new talent.

Instead, they’ve hired Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer to pen the adaptation, which is … not great news. Donnelly and Oppenheimer also co-wrote the dismal Sahara, as well as A Sound of Thunder, one of the worst sci-fi movies … ever. They’re also writing the upcoming Marcus Nispel-directed Conan picture, so they’ve got an impressive list of movies to fuck up.

The sad thing is, Uncharted (the game) already has better writing than 90% of the action movies you’re ever going to see. The game is about a fortune hunter named Nathan Drake, a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, who teams up with a reporter and an old friend of his to find El Dorado. The game featured spectacular game play, jaw-dropping graphics, and all of that aside, absolutely brilliant writing. Seriously, it’s one of the few games that really, truly felt like you were in a movie. The jokes are actually chuckle-out-loud funny, the characters are well-written, and the plot is pretty damn exciting. A sequel was released a couple of weeks ago called Uncharted 2: Among Thieves which actually managed to surpass the original — I played both like a crack addict and loved them both. This isn’t Resident Evil, a game with a long history but a story that’s never been quite there. The Uncharted games have bridged that gap between interactive play and movie cinematics better than possibly any game before them.

All of that is my long-winded way of saying that attaching two potential hack writers to pen the script is less than promising. Of course, the cast and director will make a big difference as well, so we’ll see what the future brings.


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Comments

I sense... the future will bring donuts, and another cup of coffee, to my desk. Yes? Yes!

Posted by: the_wakeful at November 24, 2009 11:10 AM

Sam Worthington.

Boom.

Posted by: Kballs at November 24, 2009 11:12 AM

Everything I ever said about the stupid Bioshock movie, repeat it.

Especially because Uncharted really is riffing on Indiana Jones already, so making a movie out of a game that took most of its inspiration from a movie?

Which is such a bitch because Uncharted 2 was a surprisingly satisfying sequel, and the whole franchise actually deserves decent treatement.

Posted by: twig at November 24, 2009 11:13 AM

Oh wait, there are no more donuts. SONOFABITCH. In slightly more relevant news (at least to the people reading this, but really, no more donuts is a pretty big thing in my world right now) I completely agree with Uncharted being fucking awesome. Why do they need writers? It's already a movie in videogame form.

Posted by: the_wakeful at November 24, 2009 11:16 AM

Remember when Vermillion did these?

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at November 24, 2009 11:24 AM

Remaking a video-game into a video-game, eh?

Posted by: Danny smooth at November 24, 2009 11:25 AM

I bought Uncharted a few weeks ago when I finally bought the PS3 (mini review: I love that damn thing!). I've been working on Ratchet & Clank first, but hearing you guys rave makes me think I may need to pop in Uncharted tonight.

Remember a time when it was interesting to hear what studios were working on next? Now it's all so damn ordinary and expected and you can very nearly imagine how the flick will look before a trailer is released just based on the PR blurbs.

Posted by: TylerDFC at November 24, 2009 11:37 AM

Also the nice thing about Uncharted?

Girl characters who are actually more than massive breast implants on high-heels.

Posted by: twig at November 24, 2009 11:37 AM

TylerDFC

If you have just started poking around the PS3:

Heavenly Sword is short but the production values are really high. It's been out so long you can probably get a used copy for $20 bucks. Even if you think it's just a God of War clone, it's still fun.

InFamous: You must play it.

Assassin's Creed (and 2): See InFamous.

I love my PS3. They're starting to release some of the better, old RPG's on the Network, too. It's a good time to be a gamer.

Posted by: twig at November 24, 2009 11:43 AM

Just watch out for the major glitch in the first Assassin's Creed. I had to restart the game after 4 levels because I saved it at the wrong point. I was drunk and don't remember the exact part. So yeah, it was awesome other than that.

Posted by: Kballs at November 24, 2009 11:48 AM

Twig: I played the InFamous demo and was not all that impressed. It was cool, but the fun wore off after a few minutes. Is there more to it? Also, I've had a 360 for a couple years so right now I'm just playing Sony exclusives.

Posted by: TylerDFC at November 24, 2009 12:19 PM

Tyler

I guess if you didn't like the demo, it's probably not going to change enough to be worth playing? I found the whole experience to be pretty cool and fun and somewhat like R&C, but everyone's got their preferences.

You looking forward to anything? I'm pretty curious to see what Heavy Rain is about.

Posted by: twig at November 24, 2009 1:27 PM

RE: PS3 games:

I picked up inFamous and loved it.

Two weeks later, I didn't love it so much any more. It got old, after a while. But then, I have that problem with sandbox games, which is why I gave up on the GTA franchise a while back as well.

The Ratchet and Clank games are all outstanding - great fun, incredibly well done games.

I am DYING to get my hands on God Of War 3. The District 9 blu-ray disc will be coming with a demo, which is one more reason to pick it up when it comes out in December.

The first Resistance: Fall of Man game was pretty awesome, though I wasn't as crazy about the sequel.

And while it isn't a PS3 exclusive game, Batman: Arkham Asylum is the fucking balls.

Posted by: TK at November 24, 2009 1:34 PM

I would like to affirm the love for Uncharted 2 and Batman AA. Heavy Rain looks interesting, I wonder how much you can actually affect the story with your actions though, good to see some games at least trying that instead of having one set path.

Anyone else played ICO and Shadow of the Colossus? The third game (a sequel in spirit), the Last Guardian, is going to be, for lack of better words, fucking beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHzHoMT5eRg

*tear* That griffin-dog is going to die, isn't it? At a critical point in the game I imagine. Knowing the game's creator, that thing is toast. Sad.

And for Uncharted, do they REALLY need screenwriters? It's literally just copy and paste the dialogue. Those two will no doubt add their own shitty jokes in.

Posted by: Mick J at November 24, 2009 3:28 PM

Wait, I have a fortune?

Posted by: Drake at November 24, 2009 3:41 PM

TK, Twig, Mick J: I think this thread has shown single-handedly a video game section of Pajiba would go over swimmingly.

TK: I have the same problem with sandbox games. Sometimes I just want to be told where to go. Open world is fun, but eventually I get bored and resort to blowing stuff up for an hour. Batman: AA was fantastic. I have that for the 360.

God of War 3, Ratchet & Clank, The Last Guardian, and Heavy Rain are the main reasons I got the PS3. That and my 1st gen Blu Ray player crapped out. It was serendipitous, truly.

Posted by: TylerDFC at November 24, 2009 5:32 PM

I loved the first Uncharted and, when it came to the second, I tried to take my time and savour the experience. And then I accidentally played it for five hours straight, slept, then woke up and played for another five until I finished it. It was an absolutely amazing game that would lose all its uniquity upon being turned into a movie, but ALL THINGS MUST BE MOVIES so there's no stopping it.

Posted by: James at November 25, 2009 6:05 AM

I tried to take my time and savour the experience. And then I accidentally played it for five hours straight,

HA. Yes. The "Man this game seems kind of short wait how long have I been playing" moment.

Posted by: twig at November 25, 2009 7:21 AM

HA. Yes. The "Man this game seems kind of short wait how long have I been playing" moment.

Or as I call it, "I don't think I've blinked once in the last six hours."

Posted by: TK at November 25, 2009 8:24 AM

I love my PS3. I got mine for Resident Evil 5 alone. That game did not disappoint. I love all the RE games though I wish for the next one they would go back to zombies and creepiness. Here's a list of my other must haves: Both Uncharteds, Infamous, Little Big Planet, Assassin's Creed 1&2, Dead Space. Really that's all I own. I'm still building my collection. Oh, I would also recommend Dragon Age which I'm playing now.

As for Uncharted becoming a movie, I'm not thrilled. They will screw it up and destroy the rich story.

Posted by: Dingle Berry at November 25, 2009 8:56 AM

I also bought my PS3 for Resident Evil 5, and I was left sorely dissapointed, but Dead Space is definently a must have.

Posted by: Simon at November 27, 2009 8:48 AM





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