The first trailer for the Uncharted movie gives us a better look at Mark Wahlberg’s Victor “Sully” Sullivan, but it’s a part that Nathan Fillion would have been great for. Fillion has been a clear fan choice to play protagonist Nathan Drake in any prospective Uncharted adaptation since the franchise’s inception in the early 2000s. Fans of the game will understand why: Fillion not only looks uncannily like the treasure-hunting protagonist, but he also perfectly portrays his sardonic charm and quick-witted goofiness.
When it was established that the Uncharted film is a precursor to the games and Tom Holland was cast in the part of Nathan Drake, all dreams of Fillion being cast in the role were dashed.
Fillion Could hHave Played Sully
Sully’s casting, on the other hand, could have been handled better. While portraying Drake was natural fit for Fillion when he was younger, playing Sully is still just up his alley. Given the status of Uncharted as a precursor and the fact that Holland’s Nathan Drake is younger than the video game character, Fillion is the ideal age to play a younger Sully, which would have been a great gesture for Sony to honour the actor’s fan base.
Casting Fillion Would Have Aroused The Curiosity Of Long Time Fans
The push to cast the actor in the role was so persistent and widespread that his inclusion in the film would have aroused the curiosity of long-time fans. Fillion’s casting as Sully might have acted as a theoretical passing of the torch, with Fillion – who played Drake in a popular 2018 Uncharted fan film – functioning as a mentor to the prequel’s younger incarnation, not only accommodating Holland’s Drake and subverting fans’ expectations. It wouldn’t have been exactly what some fans had hoped for, but it would have been a fitting tribute to their unwavering support for an Uncharted film.
Of course, when casting a film, there are always more factors to consider than merely giving the fans what they want. Despite the early outcry over the eventual casting of Holland and Wahlberg, Uncharted’s entire teaser has fans psyched for the upcoming film.
