A live-action Splinter Cell movie featuring Tom Hardy has officially hit the chopping block according to someone attached to the project. John Wick producer Basil Iwanyk was among others celebrating the 10th anniversary of Keanu Reeves’s successful franchise where it was shared that the live-action, PG13-rated, Splinter Cell project is no longer in development. Apparently, the endeavor that had gained Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) as its director in 2014, which has reportedly been in the works since 2012, will no longer be moving forward due to budget and script issues.
Per Basil Iwanyk (via The Direct):
“‘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.”
Tom Hardy would’ve, of course, starred in the lead role as the game’s protagonist Sam Fisher. Hardy has obviously been busy with his Venom films but the irony is that he’s potentially free for a bit now that “Last Dance” is said to have completed the franchise. Another irony is that given that this franchise does not feature superheroes or galactic multiverse dramas, it probably could’ve been made with a smaller budget featuring less CGI, plenty of action and suspense, and been a theatrical success.
Other projects on the horizon
While this movie adaption may no longer be in the works there are still other projects in the pipeline for the franchise. Netflix recently unveiled a trailer for its Splinter Cell: Deathwatch animated series which coincidentally includes John Wick writer Derek Kolstad who will serve as head writer and one of its executive producers. It was also recently said that the Splinter Cell Remake is still in development despite a number of setbacks.