Tom Holland's Uncharted makes US$44m debut

Los Angeles

SONY'S long-in-the-works video game adaptation Uncharted collected US$44 million over the weekend, enough to lead the North American box office charts and solidify Tom Holland's star power.

The big-budget action adventure has been positioned as a key test of Holland's bankability outside of his blockbuster success as Spider-Man.

Uncharted has received mixed reviews, at best, so it's safe to assume the 25-year-old British actor had a healthy hand in selling tickets. It also helps that the movie is rated PG-13 and based on one of the most popular video games.

Directed by Ruben Fleischer, who previously led Tom Hardy's comic book tentpole Venom to box office glory, Uncharted is expected to earn US$52 million through the President's Day holiday in the United States on Monday (Feb 21).

It's an impressive start in Covid-19 times, but it doesn't mean the film has an easy path to profitability. Uncharted carries a US$120 million price tag, so international ticket sales will be key in getting out of the red. To that end, Uncharted crucially landed a release date in China, the world's biggest theatrical market.

Visual effects-heavy action-adventures, like Uncharted, tend to play well in China. But recently the country's censors have been ultra-selective about letting Hollywood movies screen in its cinemas, and when the Chinese government does approve non-local product, it's been a real mixed bag at the box office. So the film's success in China remains to be seen.

Since Uncharted is only opening in China on March 14, piracy could be a concern. Outside of China, Uncharted has been a favourite. Already, the movie has earned roughly US$55 million at the international box office and has crossed US$100 million globally.

Uncharted follows the globe-trotting treasure hunter Nathan Drake and his wisecracking partner Sully (Mark Wahlberg, who was once attached to play Nathan Drake and since aged out of the role) as they embark on a death-defying quest to uncover the greatest treasure never found.

Complicating matters, the fearless explorers are racing against two baddies (played by Antonio Banderas and Tati Gabrielle) to locate the fabled fortunes. Audiences have awarded the film a "B+" on CinemaScore. REUTERS