After seven games spanning three console generations, the action-adventure video gameUnchartedfinally has a Hollywood adaptation. The series, which premiered in 2007, was created byAmy Henning(also known for theJax and Dexterseries)and developed by Naughty Dog Studios.Unchartedfollows treasure hunter Nathan Drake as he traverses the world uncovering various historical mysteries.
The official trailer for Uncharted dropped back in December 2021, giving fans their first look atTom Hollandas Nathan Drake andMark Wahlbergas Victor “Sully” Sullivan, Drake’s mentor and father figure.
Unchartedis now in theaters as of June 05, 2025. And if you’re looking for more movies to scratch your action-adventure itch, here are seven movies likeUncharted.
Related:Tati Gabrielle on ‘Uncharted’ and What She’s Most Excited For Fans of the Game to See in the Movie
Sahara (2005)
Before he became known for more dramatic roles,Matthew McConaugheyhad a solid stint as the leading man inromantic comediesand action-adventure films, 2005’sSaharabeing amongst them. Based on the 1992Clive Cusslernovel of the same name,Saharafollows renowned explorer Dirk Pitt, played by McConaughey, as he is enlisted to search for a missing Confederate battleship rumored to contain treasure. Pitt’s exhibition soon becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving a West African dictatorship and a French industrialist whose energy plant is responsible for dumping toxic waste in local waterways.
Joining McConaughey isSteve Zahnas sidekick Al Giordino, andPenélope Cruzas WHO doctor Eva Rojas, who assists Pitt and Giordino in taking down dictator General Kazim (played by a pre-Walking DeaderaLennie James). Production and box office issues aside,Saharais still an entertaining action-adventure romp with a larger-than-life plot and memorable characters.
Watch Sahara on Paramount+
Into the Blue (2005)
The mid-aughts were quite the time for action-adventure films. It was also somewhat of a peak for stars likePaul Walker(Fast and FuriousFranchise) andJessica Alba(Sin City), the pair coming together in 2005’sInto the Blue. Set in the Bahamas,Into the Bluefollows couple Sam (Alba) and Jared (Walker) living it up on a gorgeous tropical island. Things go sideways, however, when their friend Bryce (Scott Cann) invites them on a treasure-hunting trip, searching for the legendary pirate ship The Zephyr, where they discover a submerged airplane full of cocaine. Things go double pear-shaped when Bryce decides to sell the cocaine, drawing the ire of local drug dealer Reyes, played byTrue Blood’sJames Frain.
Watch Into the Blue on Starz
National Treasure (2004)
Possibly the second most beloved treasure hunting film on this list, and definitely the one with the most memes,National Treasureis considered one ofNicolas Cage’s more iconic roles as well as a modern classic. Directed byJon Turteltaub, best known forCool Runningsand more recentlyThe Meg,National Treasurefollows Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian and cryptographer who discovers a clue that can lead him to a Freemason stockpile of historical artifacts. The kicker is that the next clue is located on the back of the Declaration of Independence, meaning Gate’s will have to steal the most guarded historical document in the US. Cage leads a stellar cast includingDiane Kruger(Inglourious Basterds),Harvey Keitel(Reservoir Dogs),Jon Voight(Holes),Christopher Plummer(Knives Out), andSean Bean(Game of Thrones).
Watch National Treasure on Disney+
Related:‘National Treasure’ Disney+ Series Casts Catherine Zeta-Jones as a Badass Billionaire
Tomb Raider (2018)
LikeUncharted,Tomb Raideris also based on a beloved action-adventure game franchise,Tomb Raiderbeing a staple of Sony Playstation since the first generation console. The franchise was originally adapted back in the aughts, with two films starringAngelina Jolie. In 2013, theTomb Raidergame franchise was rebooted and Hollywood soon followed, mirroring updates to the character design and story made in the games.
This time around, Oscar-winning actressAlicia Vikander(Ex Machina) fills the role of Lara Croft, the intrepid explorer and treasure hunter. 2018’sTomb Raidersees Croft travel to a remote island in search of her father, Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West), who disappeared many years before. In 2021, Vikandertold Colliderthat a sequel forTomb Raideris currently in development but is yet to be greenlit by the studio.
Rent Tomb Raider (2018) on Amazon
Fool’s Gold (2008)
McConaughey is back again on this list in 2008’sFool’s Gold.Directed byAndy Tennant, who recently directed 11 episodes ofThe Kominsky Method,Fool’s Goldis about recently divorced and currently broke deep-sea treasure hunter Benjamin “Finn” Finnegan” (Matthew McConaughey), who uncovers a clue to a once-in-a-century discovery: the wreck of the Aurelia - a Spanish galleon that was lost at sea in 1715. Things get complicated however when the rapper Finn owes money to hires a rival treasure hunter (who also happens to be Finn’s former mentor) to uncover the gold hidden in the Aureliabefore Finn does.Starring alongside McConaughey isKate Hudson, who also appeared inMy Best Friend’s Girlthat year, as his ex-wife Tess. The pair reunited after working onHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Daysback in 2003.
Fool’s Goldalso features screen legendDonald Sutherlandas Nigel Honeycutt, a multimillionaire Finn tries to get money for his expedition from who also happens to be Tess’s employer. Other stars appearing in the movie includeRay Winstone, who audiences may recognize from hisrecent stintas a Marvel villain in 2021’sBlack Widow,Ewen Bremmer,ofTrainspottingfame, andKevin Hartin one of his early roles as gangster rapper “Bigg Bunny”.
Watch Fool’s Gold on Netflix
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Saving the best for last, it goes without saying theIndiana Jonesfranchise is the flagstaff of action-adventure cinema, especially films involving treasure hunting. Directed bySteven Spielberg, collaborating withGeorge Lucas,Indiana Jonesreally set the precedent for modern action films.
Raiders of the Lost Arktakes place in 1936 when archeologist Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is hired by the US government to recover the lost Ark of the Covenant, containing the stone tablets Moses inscribed the ten commandments on, before the Nazis do.Karen Allen, also known for 1984’sStarman, stars alongside Ford as Jones' former love interest and fellow adventurer, Marion Ravenwood.Raiders of the Lost Arkis a spectacular start to theIndiana Jonesfranchise and a must-watch.
Rent Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark on Amazon
The Mummy (1999)
A late-nineties classic featuringBrendan Fraserat his best before his recent resurgence with roles inDoom PatrolandNo Sudden Move,The Mummyis not only a good remake but a catalyst for the revitalization of classic monster movies we’ve seen in the last 20 years, for better and worse.
Directed byStephen Sommers,who also directed the sequelThe Mummy Returns,The Mummyfollows Fraser’s Rick O’Connell, an adventurer who comes into contact with an ancient mummy, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), while fighting alongside the French Legion in the ruins of Hamunaptra. Much later, O’Connell teams up with English egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) and her brother Jonathon (John Hannah) to stop Imhotep from wreaking havoc upon Egypt. Aside from some poorly-aged CGI,The Mummyholds up very well for a 20-year-old film and is certainly a crowd-pleaser.
