Nathan Fillion had been a fan-favourite to take on the role of Uncharted hero Nathan Drake when the live-action movie version of the game was first mentioned, and the announcement of Tom Holland playing the protagonist didn’t sit too well with some gamers.
If you had your heart set on seeing Fillion, who appeared in cult TV hit Firefly, playing Drake then don’t worry, there’s good news on the horizon.
The star has been teasing an Uncharted-related project via his Instagram for a few days now, and it’s had fans guessing about just what Nathan Fillion could have to do with the Naughty Dog series.
It started when Fillion posted a picture of rapper Drake to his page, adding the caption: “Sic Parvis Magna. 7/16/18.”
Seasoned Uncharted fans will, of course, know that “Sic Parvis Magna” is Latin for “from small beginnings, great things come,” as said by real historical figure, Sir Francis Drake.
The motto is a recurring theme in the Uncharted series, with fans quickly linking the post to the iconic games.
The top contenders for Fillion’s big reveal were either he’d been cast in the upcoming movie, which is said to be starring Tom Holland, or that he might be lending his voice to some surprise DLC, which – let’s face it – wouldn’t be likely, unfortunately.
Naughty Dog are probably a little busy with their small and little-known project, The Last of Us Part 2…
Back to Fillion, he then shared a picture of what appeared to be a map of Malaysia, spread on a table with a pen and magnifying glass, this time simply captioned with the same date as before.
Thankfully, the mystery has now been solved, and it’s probably not what you were expecting.
Yes, Nathan Fillion is playing Nathan Drake…but not on the big screen.
He’s actually taken up the iconic role as part of a fan film project, and you can watch the end result right now.
The short movie, directed by Allan Ungar, shows Drake being captured and then getting saved by Sully, who’s played by Stephen Lang.
Even Elena makes an appearance!
The film definitely looks like the perfect blend of fan-servicing, attention to detail and acting finesse.
On Instagram, Fillion added a still from the film, alongside the caption: “This is something I’ve wanted to do, but more importantly, something I’ve wanted to see for a long time.
“If you’ve ever pinned a towel around your neck for a cape, or donned a fedora and nearly put your eye out with a homemade whip, this is for you.
“Thank you, @allanungar, for letting us all scratch this itch. Thank you, @naughty_dog_inc, for creating such a wonderful archetype.
“Thank you fans, for your excellent taste. You know who you are. Enjoy. Link in my bio. #uncharted”
Unsurprisingly, fans are absolutely thrilled with the short, with lots of them calling for a full-length feature to satiate their taste buds.
Looks like the shoes Tom Holland will have to fill may have just gotten bigger!
You can check out the short below – it’s worth it.