Movies based on video games always seem to have the deck stacked against them. Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros., and Double Dragon are just a few examples of how quickly things can go bad. While the movie based on Sony’s Uncharted franchise seemed to be on track, the film just lost director Travis Knight, due to a scheduling conflict with star Tom Holland. According to Deadline, Sony wants to begin filming Holland’s third Spider-Man film this summer, which would require Uncharted to finish filming before that. Knight is far from the first director attached to the film; the director was hired after the departure of Dan Trachtenberg in August, who followed Shawn Levy’s departure in December 2018.
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Sony’s desire to make the Uncharted film work is entirely understandable. After all, the property has performed quite well for the company since the release of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune on PlayStation 3 in 2007. The film is intended to be a partnership between PlayStation Productions and Sony Pictures, and, should it prove successful, could significantly elevate the franchise in the public conscious. Unfortunately, Sony seems a bit desperate to make the film work sooner, rather than later, and that could hurt the movie’s overall quality.
Travis Knight seemed like a strong candidate to take the reins of the struggling film. Knight’s Bumblebee might not have been the most financially successful entry in the long-running Transformers franchise, but fans and critics were quite taken with it, and it showed Knight’s ability to cater to a franchise with a passionate fanbase. Uncharted certainly fits that same description, so it will be interesting to see who Sony can now find to fill a similar role, especially with such a short window to do so.
Not all films based on video games are doomed to the same fate. This year’s Pokemon: Detective Pikachu proved to be a hit with critics and audiences alike, while February’s Sonic the Hedgehog film seems to be on the right track after fans made their voices heard. If Sonic the Hedgehog proves successful, however, it will be because Paramount delayed the film from November to February in order to make sure it truly lived up to expectations. If Sony is serious about making Uncharted the best it can be, they might want to consider doing the same.
How do you feel about the news of Travis Knight’s departure? Do you think the Uncharted film will prove successful? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
