Uncharted movie will seek gold without David O. Russell

Back in May, Sony announced its intention to fast-track a film version of the hit action/adventure game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune to the big screen with David O. Russell (Three Kings, Flirting with Disaster) in the director's chair. Now, according to the LA Times, the two parties are moving on after unsuccessful negotiations. Once a consideration for a release next summer, it looks as if it won't be until at least 2012 before the descendent of Sir Francis Drake hits the big screen.

The producers, two of whom are The Dark Knight producer Charles Roven and Sony's Avi Arad, will continue their search for their heir to what they hope could be a big summer-style blockbuster. Sources say they might even look to bring aboard the male lead (Nathan Drake) and the female lead (Elena Fisher) to help move things forward and lure another strong director possibility. The video game is an adventure mystery that takes a hero, his buddy and a reporter to the lost city of El Dorado in search of gold. Its easiest film comparisons would be Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone. 

Russell, whose boxing drama The Fighter will arrive in time for Oscar season, has a few other possible projects down the pipeline. He most recently walked away from the film Nailed with Jake Gyllenhaal in the middle of filming because Miramax was squeezing him financially, but just last week he announced interest in directing Vince Vaughn in a film entitled Old St. Louis about a traveling salesman. There have also been rumors of his attachment to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.