Director Doug Liman, promoting his new sci-fi movie Edge of Tomorrow, dropped a few hints about his forthcoming big screen adaptation of the enduring and popular Splinter Cell franchise. The movie has been long in development, but seems to be on track for its release next year.
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Speaking to IGN, Liman revealed that this movie will follow a younger Sam Fisher, who is commonly an older, more cynical badass in the games. Call it Sam Fisher Begins if you will. Aussie dynamo Tom Hardy, no stranger to the spy life (he starred in the charming if not slight This Means War) will be donning the famous goggles in the role. "Everything about Splinter Cell will be younger. It's a chance to come up with a new franchise that is fresher and newer and younger, and Tom Hardy is such an incredible actor." Liman said, no doubt thinking 'franchise'.
Liman and Hardy are working on a script together. "I think we have a great take on how to make an awesome film out of that." Liman said. A film adaptation has been in development practically since the first game debuted on the original Xbox back in 2002. Splinter Cell is one member of Ubisoft's catalog that is planning to be made into films, alongside Ghost Recon, Assassin's Creed and of course, Watch Dogs. Hardy hinted that filming may begin in August.
Splinter Cell follows Sam Fisher, a highly trained operative for a black ops branch of the NSA known as Third Echelon as he infiltrates and eliminates terrorist threats around the world. Unlike many of its contemporaries, the game made its mark not by running and gunning, but by forcing Sam to sneak in and out of areas to complete his objectives.
One hopes that Liman can keep the close-quarters tension that made so many playthroughs of the early games fun. We will find out next year. In the meantime, you can catch Edge of Tomorrow, with the other Tom out now in the UK and this Friday in the States.
Catch up on your four freedoms with the trailer to the original Splinter Cell.
