Tom Hardy-led Splinter Cell movie cancelled, studio just ‘couldn’t get it right’

We’ve been getting TV and movie adaptations of video games out the wazoo lately. Ubisoft’s stealth series Splinter Cell is one such example. However, it looks as though we won’t be getting to see it on the big screen. At least not in the near future.

According to a report from The Direct, the Splinter Cell movie – which would have starred Tom Hardy – has been cancelled. The news comes from producer Basil Iwanyk, who’s been with the project since 2013, which goes to show how long it’s actually been in the pipeline.

Iwanyk said the live-action adaptation just “couldn’t get it right,” in terms of script and budget, adding that it’s “really sad” that this is one of the ideas being bandied around that wasn’t meant to be. This is all in spite of the producer seeming quite enthusiastic about the film, saying it was “going to be hardcore and awesome.”

Small hopes on the horizon

The report from The Direct goes on to say that a Splinter Cell movie may well still happen in the future. It’s just not happening right now, despite the project being in development for over a decade. However, we can only assume that’s speculation on their part. No doubt, many fans would love to see Tom Hardy cast as the gruff and cynical Sam Fisher.

But there is still an anime adaptation in the works, it seems. Netflix announced Deathwatch in 2020, which has John Wick creator Derek Kolstad attached. As far as we can tell, this one is still going ahead, so that’s something to look forward to at least. Sadly, Michael Ironside isn’t reprising his iconic role for the anime. Instead, the part of Sam Fisher will be played by Liev Schreiber.

Of course, what a lot of people will be holding out for is another game in the series. There have been a number of Splinter Cell entries over the years, some of which have gone down as stone-cold classics. However, we haven’t had an installment since 2013’s Blacklist and while there is a remake of the first game said to be on the horizon, director David Grivel leaving Ubisoft in 2022 means there’s uncertainty about that project as well.