"Splinter Cell: Blacklist" Japanese Poster
Comic book movies continue to do blockbuster business around the globe, but there’s also a sense that audiences might be suffering from superhero fatigue. Some analysts suggest that video games may be the next undiscovered country for Hollywood to mine for gold.
Sure, there have been a few video game adaptations here and there – Mortal Kombat and Silent Hill come to mind – but lately we’re seeing high-profile game publishers package together their own movie deals before shopping them around to the studios.
The first major coup for Ubisoft was signing Michael Fassbender to the Assassin’s Creed movie. Now comes word that Tom Hardy, fresh off star-making turns in films like Bronson and The Dark Knight Rises, has agreed to play the lead character Sam Fisher in a movie adaptation of Splinter Cell.
A screenplay is development from Eric Warren Singer, who wrote The International. Spun from the mind of Tom Clancy, the Splinter Cell series follows an elite secret agent – frequently voiced by Michael Ironside in the games – on dangerous missions around the globe. It’s James Bond meets 24…the only question now is which studio will take the bite.
Updates: According to Deadline, producer Basil Iwaynk is officially on board to produce the Splinter Cell movie. Some of his past productions include The Expendables 1 & 2 and The Town. As always, we’ll keep you updated!
According to Collider (via THR), Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) is in final negotiations to direct of Splinter Cell for Ubisoft and New Regency, with an August production start-date and a planned 2015 release.
BREAKING NEWS: Screenwriter Sheldon Turner (Up In The Air) is on board for Splinter Cell. Production is scheduled to start in August.
