Summary

• Uncharted 2 should use villains from the game series to avoid the mistake of introducing unnecessary characters like in the first movie.
• The Uncharted movie sequel has a rich catalog of antagonists to choose from, each of whom can translate brilliantly to the big screen.
• The first Uncharted movie missed the mark with the introduction of a new two-dimensional villain, making it crucial for the sequel to tap into the source material for stronger adversaries.

Uncharted movie made various changes to the games, with results being mixed at best. The characters developed specifically for live-action were perhaps unnecessary, as the source material has no shortage of ancillary characters and compelling antagonists.

While Uncharted 2 has yet to be confirmed, various figures attached to the first movie have commented on the script's progress. Additionally, the first film was a success at the box office, so it would make sense for Sony to put a sequel into production sooner rather than later. As such, it seems inevitable that Tom Holland will eventually return as Nathan Drake, but his next adversary needs to be better than his last.

Uncharted 2 Needs To Use A Villain From The Games

2022's Uncharted included a brand-new villain

One of the most surprising changes the Uncharted movie made was introducing a new villain to oppose Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg's Victor "Sully" Sullivan. All the Uncharted games are practically overflowing with bad guys that would have made a great addition to the movie adaptation of the story. While 2022's Uncharted explored the confusing option of creating an original antagonist, the sequel needs to take another look at the source material rather than making up another unfamiliar individual.

While broadening the Uncharted universe with a new villain could have been an interesting decision once the movie franchise was more established, doing so in the first movie was a waste of source material. Parts of the adaptation are already unrecognizable when placed alongside the games, and adding a new bad guy to the formula only compounds the disparities. Using one of the nefarious figures from the Naughty Dog game series would correct some of the issues with the first movie, and set up a more promising future for the film franchise.

Why Antonio Banderas' Uncharted Villain Didn't Work

Santiago Moncada lacked depth

Antonio Banderas played a new villain in the Uncharted movie called Santiago Moncada. While Banderas' performance was as brilliant as always, the character was a little two-dimensional. In addition, while the movie made an effort to use the protagonists from the games, it gave them an unproven adversary to race against for the treasure. While this may not have been a huge issue for those unfamiliar with the original games, it would have been a little unusual for any pre-existing fans waiting to see a familiar bad guy rear their head.

Uncharted should at least be commended for letting Benderas play "against-type," and the actor did a very good job.

While Banderas has been more prone to playing villains in recent years, he's still heavily associated with heroic figures such as Zorro and Shrek's Puss in Boots. As such, Uncharted should at least be commended for letting Benderas play "against-type," and the actor did a very good job. However, the scenario in which he was playing Monacada was wrong, as in any other action-adventure movie franchise, the character would have been much more effective.

The Uncharted Games' Villains Are One Of The Games' Biggest Strengths

The Uncharted movie sequel has a rich catalog of antagonists to choose from

The main Uncharted games were released on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, but there were also lesser-known games within the same continuity. In the collection, every Uncharted villain would translate brilliantly to the big screen. There aren't many franchises with so many ready-made bad guys primed for use, so Uncharted is in a very fortunate position. Ignoring these potential film antagonists is nothing short of a huge waste, so Uncharted 2 needs to avoid making the same mistake twice. With both Moncada and Tati Gabrielle's Jo Braddock dead at the end of Uncharted, the slate is clean to start again.

Jo Braddock, another villain from the first Uncharted movie, is based on Nadine Ross from 2016's Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and even shares a similar dynamic with Moncada as her game counterpart does with her underling. So, Nadine is likely to be out of contention for an appearance in Uncharted 2 due to her similarities to Braddock. Nadine is one of the best Uncharted villains, so it's a shame to see her movie equivalent disposed of so quickly. That being said, her exit from the film franchise means any number of the game villains could appear in Uncharted 2.

2022's Uncharted movie can be streamed on Hulu. Uncharted 2 has yet to be confirmed.