Naughty Dog's highly-anticipated next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, stunned fans as the show-closer for The Game Awards 2024. Billed as the studio's first original IP since 2013's The Last of Us, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is Naughty Dog's first go at a full-blown space-faring sci-fi game. Its retro-futurist aesthetic, alternate timeline where open space travel began in the 1980s, numerous real-world nods, and the promise of Naughty Dog's "most creative" story and "deepest" gameplay yet are all extremely compelling bits of info for fans who've wanted the studio to venture into uncharted territories for a while.
Unsurprisingly, hype for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is running high among the Naughty Dog faithful, with a near-unanimous demand for more details (especially the release date) about the game as soon as possible. Although unconfirmed, the chances of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet 's launch date coming before 2027 seem pretty slim. Regardless of when the game ends up launching, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet sets itself up well to follow in the footsteps of The Last of Us and Uncharted - both of which made successful multimedia leaps.
Intergalactic Could Just Be the First Half of Naughty Dog's Winning Formula
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is certainly channeling some Uncharted vibes, and Naughty Dog ought to push ahead with an alternate tone as well.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Could Continue the Naughty Dog Trend of Live-Action Adaptations
From the moment the announcement trailer began rolling, it was clear that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet aims to blur the line between interactive entertainment and cinematic storytelling more than its predecessors did, which could translate smoothly into a live-action movie or TV series, provided the game is successful enough to warrant it. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's plot follows bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun, who is stranded on the mysterious planet of Sempiria - a place aloof from the larger universe for over 600 years and rumored to consume all who visit - and must figure out a way to be the only one to escape.
The planet of Sempiria in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is overrun by an enigmatic religion, which is likely the reason it's cut off from the outside universe.
Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann has also confirmed that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's story will explore themes of faith and religion. This narrative setup immediately piques interest, has potential for serialization, and most importantly, is character-driven - a signature of Naughty Dog's storytelling. That character-first approach is further highlighted by a notable cast of seasoned actors, many of whom already have Hollywood experience. First and foremost among them is Tati Gabrielle, who plays Jordan in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and previously lent her talents to The 100, You, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and even the live-action Uncharted movie and The Last of Us Season 2.
Intergalactic's Cast Comprises Renowned Hollywood Names
Gabrielle is joined by Kumail Nanjiani of Eternals, Silicon Valley, and Stubers fame as Colin Graves, a member of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's Five Aces syndicate, and Tony Dalton, who was lauded for playing Lalo in Better Call Saul. Dalton's role in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is still under wraps, which also holds true for renowned voice actor Troy Baker, who voiced Joel and Sam Drake in The Last of Us and Uncharted games, respectively. Westworld screenwriter Halley Gross is also in the game as AJ, Jordan's assistant.
Both Intergalactic's Characters and World Appear Ripe for the Live-Action Picking
Since most of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's characters shown so far look identical to their actors, a transition to the film or TV space would feel rather natural. And it's not just the actors that signal cinematic potential, but also the world Naughty Dog is building. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's trailer is laced with real-world references that give the universe an almost tactile familiarity, such as Jordan's Porsche spaceship, her classic Adidas hi-tops, and the Sony cassette system she plays the Pet Shop Boys' 1987 hit It's a Sin on. These inclusions ground Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's setting in a recognizable cultural language, and would help boost audience immersion in a potential live-action adaptation.
Naughty Dog's Experience in Developing Live-Action Adaptations is Growing
Lastly, there's also the fact that Naughty Dog is no rookie in the adaptation game. HBO's The Last of Us series has been a critical and commercial success, praised for its writing and performances. And while 2022's Uncharted movie was more popcorn than prestige and involved Naughty Dog far less than some would have liked, it still showed how well the studio's projects translate to live action and accrued enough success to warrant an inbound sequel. By the time Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet launches, Naughty Dog likely would've bolstered its multimedia portfolio with The Last of Us Season 3, and therefore racked up even more experience that could greatly benefit the sci-fi game's hypothetical live-action adaptation. With a lead character played by a famous live action actor, as well as several cast members, minimal changes would be required to recapture the game's vibe.
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
