Summary
ForSplinter Cellfans, recent news could not be more disheartening. Despite being in development for over a decade, Ubisoft’s live-action adaptation of the stealth video game franchise of the same name will no longer be coming to theaters, marking yet another high-profile casualty in theongoing struggle to successfully bring video game franchisesto the big screen.
ASplinter Celllive-action film was first announced in 2004 following the successful launch of the game, but it wasn’t until 2012 that it gained real momentum with Tom Hardy attached as the lead and Doug Liman hired as director. While this combination of star power and talent brought a wave of optimism, it wasn’t long before the project became ensnared in the all-too-familiar development hell that has plagued many video game-to-film attempts in Hollywood. A recent update from producer, Basil Iwanyk, has all but hit the final nail in the coffin for the film.
In an exclusive interview withThe Direct, Iwaynk cited, with deep regret, the reasons forSplinter Cell’s splint. “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.” This contrasts with the more optimistic tone the producer had in 2017, when, speaking toCollider, he commented on the progress of the script, calling it “the best script we’ve had.”
Although no official plot details were revealed, Tom Clancy’sSplinter Cell—as it is officially named—would likely have seen Tom Hardy’s spy agent, Sam Fisher, take on the black-ops role and prowl the globe doing what spies do. Tom Hardy’s undeniable on-screen aura and Doug Liman’s skillset in directing intense action films—which he proved inEdge of Tommorow—seemed to be a match made in heaven in bringing a character like Sam Fisher to the big screen. Thus, fans have every right to be aggrieved.
The scrapping of the ongoingSplinter Cellmovie is not the first time Ubisoft has disappointed fans. Since 2022, the company has been on a game-axing spree,canceling seven projects in as many months—including a VRSplinter Celltitle andGhost Recon Frontline.It hasn’t done any better in the live-action department.Previous video game-to-film releases such asFar Cry,Assassin’s Creed, andPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time,failed to capture any hearts both at the box office and with critics.These misfires likely influenced Ubisoft’s decision to take extra precautions withSplinter Cell’s adaptation and go back to the drawing board to prevent a recurrence of past mistakes. Sadly, the stars never aligned for Sam Fisher.
Luckily for fans,Splinter Cell: Deathwatchmight prove a worthy consolation. With the upcoming Netflix animated series, set to launch in 2025 with Liev Schreiber providing the voice for the ultra-spy, fans can enjoy the intense action and espionage elements that aSplinter Cellmovie would have otherwise provided. Additionally,Ubisoft is working on aSplinter Cellgame remake—although the company’s track record is reasonable cause for apprehension.
Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell is a series of stealth games that began in November 2002. The third Splinter Cell game, Chaos Theory, is considered to be the series' high point and one of the best stealth games of all time.A Splinter Cell remake is currently being developed by Ubisoft.
