Fans of the popular action video game franchiseSplinter Cellwill no doubt be left a little heartbroken by the latest update regarding the long-gestating live-action adaptation starringVenomactor and Oscar nomineeTom Hardy. Word is, the adaptation is now dead after production just “couldn’t get it right.” Producer Basil Iwanyk, who had been signed on to the Splinter Cell movie since as far back as 2013, made the revelation while speaking withThe Direct.
Splinter Cellfans and audiences would no doubt haveloved to see Tom Hardybring the gruff, highly trained black-ops operative to life on the big screen. Sadly, it sounds like it’s not going to happen, with Iwanyk twisting the knife even further and calling the proposed movie “hardcore and awesome.”
“‘That movie would have been awesome… Just couldn’t get it right, script-wise, budget-wise. But it was going to be great. We had a million different versions of it, but it was going to be hardcore and awesome. That’s one of the ones that got away, which is really sad.”
An Animated Adaptation of ‘Splinter Cell’ Is Coming to Netflix
Tom Clancy’sSplinter Cellvideo game series first began back in 2002. Introducing players to Sam Fisher, the stealth game follows the black ops agent as he embarks on dangerous missions, often remaining in the shadows and using night vision and thermal vision goggles to do what needs to be done. The series has been met with critical acclaim, is now one of Ubisoft’s tentpole franchises, and has spawned all manner of video games, novels, comics, and more.
One of the most popular actors working today, and known for the likes ofInception, The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road, Venom: The Last Dance, and more, Tom Hardy reportedly signed on to lead the Splinter Cell movie way back in 2011.Edge of TomorrowandRoad Housedirector Doug Limansigned on to helm the project in 2014…before leaving in 2015, with Iwanyk assuring fans in 2017 that the movie was still going ahead. Sadly, things have now changed, and the Tom Hardy Splinter Cell live-action adaptation is now as dead as one of Fisher’s unsuspecting adversaries.
Tom Hardy’s Long-Awaited Netflix Action Thriller Finally Gets Release Update
The movie is helmed by the director of action movie masterpiece The Raid.
While we may be waiting a while for Sam Fisher to enter live-action, we recently got our first look at theanime adaptation of the acclaimed video game,Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, which comes courtesy of Netflix. The first teaser trailer not only revealed our first footage from the upcoming animated series, it also unveiled who will provide the voice of former U.S. Navy SEAL officer Sam Fisher:Ray DonovanandX-Men Origins: Wolverinestar Liev Schreiber.
Splinter Cell: Deathwatchis an animated adaptation of Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, and has been developed by Ubisoft Film & Television and animation studios Sun Creature and Fost. The series is directed by Guillaume Dousse and Félicien Colmet-Daage, and findsJohn Wick’sDerek Kolstad on board as head writer. The series has not yet been given a release date, but is expected to land on the streaming platform in 2025.
