Is there anyone who’s played any of the Uncharted games without fan-casting a film adaptation? Given the series’ sweeping storylines, richly written characters, and endless array of death-defying adventures, it’s all too easy to visualize Nathan Drake and his long-suffering companions on the big screen. Now that a prequel is in the works and Tom Holland is set to star, we’re ready for director Shawn Levy to consider the following as Holland’s cast mates.
VICTOR “SULLY” SULLIVAN: BILLY BURKE
When you boil Sully down to his essential elements, you’re left with a father figure who sports a Hawaiian shirt, chomps on a cigar, and cracks wise. J.K. Simmons is too obvious, so let’s go off-book a bit and get Billy Burke. As Bella’s beer-swilling dad, he’s a dryly-humorous highlight of the much-maligned Twilight movies. Plus, you’d be hard-pressed to find another man who looks so right with a mustache.
ELENA FISHER: LILI REINHART
If we were casting on looks, Lili Reinhart—best known as Betty Cooper on Riverdale—would be a lock. Plus, Reinhart could keep up with Holland as far as quippy dialogue and daring jaunts around exotic locales go. So what if her current character hasn’t left Riverdale for Shangri-La? She can give a brave enough performance that I’m sure she could hop across rooftops with the best of them.
CHLOE FRAZER:Â TINA DESAI
SAMUEL “SAM†DRAKE: AARON PAUL
Aaron Paul’s ability to play young is a key factor here. Breaking Bad proved that he can be grizzled and youthful at once; that’s what Nate’s wayward older brother needs to be, and no one can do it quite like Paul. He’s also fully comfortable playing a street-smart type who wasn’t ever too invested in academics—Sam to a T, encyclopedic treasure-hunting knowledge aside. Plus, he’d pull off a denim jacket like nobody’s business.
NADINE ROSS: NATHALIE EMMANUEL
Kickass women are a staple of the Uncharted series, and mercenary Nadine may be the toughest among them, at least on a physical level—your first fight with Nadine in Uncharted 4 is unwinnable, and there’s something satisfying about both Drake brothers being knocked flat. Who better to fill Nadine’s shoes (heels, hiking boots, and otherwise) than a member of the Fast & Furious family who’s contended with CGI dragons on more than one occasion? If Nathalie Emmanuel can take some time off Game of Thrones and Fast’s infinite sequels, she’d be a welcome presence in an Uncharted movie.
ADULT NATHAN DRAKE: JOSH HOLLOWAY
I’ve been dreaming of this too long not to include it. So envision, if you will, a post-credits sequence in which we get a glimpse of what Nate will become in his later years. The almost comically good-looking Josh Holloway is a scene-stealer in every TV show he’s part of, so why not make the jump—across caverns and up the sides of vehicles dangling over cliffs, preferably—to the silver screen?
Who do you think deserves a spot in the Uncharted cast? Jump across an impossibly deep cavern into the comments and let us know!
Images: Naughty Dog, Summit Entertainment, The CW, AMC, Netflix, HBO, TNT
