Latest news with #SplinterCell
Geek Tyrant
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
SPLINTER CELL Series Creator Derek Kolstad Explains Why Sam Fisher Is 'Not the Best' — GeekTyrant
Netflix's upcoming animated series Splinter Cell: Deathwatch is bringing back stealth icon Sam Fisher, but not exactly the way longtime fans might expect. Series creator Derek Kolstad, the writer behind John Wick and Nobody , recently opened up about his approach to the character, and he doesn't see Sam Fisher as ultimate ghost operative. Kolstad told Den of Geek: 'One of the things that I like about Sam Fisher, John Wick, and Hutch Mansell [from Nobody] is that, yes, they're pretty badass at what they do but, more importantly, they're not the best. They get beat up.' That an interesting outlook considering Fisher's reputation as one of gaming's most elite covert agents, but Kolstad seems intent on making him more grounded and vulnerable. This means that Deathwatch might lean toward a grittier, hands-on style similar to Splinter Cell: Conviction , rather than the purely shadow-driven approach from the original trilogy. In the early games, Fisher was a master of infiltration, relying on high-tech gadgets and his iconic night vision goggles to ghost through missions without leaving a trace. Kolstad went on to explain: 'You look at the games, and he's incredibly adept and comfortable at tech, but sometimes a bullet or a blade or the ripping out of some cord is your best line of defense.' That philosophy hints at a Fisher who isn't invincible, and whose fights might be a little more brutal and desperate this time around. But Kolstad believes the heart of the character remains the same. 'I always loved the world of Splinter Cell. I'm a huge fan of army-of-one [stories] if you do it right. And yet, even though he's had hard decisions to make, it's just refreshing that Sam Fisher's a hero. 'He has moments of empathy and having to do this thing when both decisions are wrong, but one is a little less wrong at the cost of his soul and his own personal life, but for the benefit of the rest of us.' Splinter Cell: Deathwatch will feature Liev Schreiber as the voice of Sam Fisher, stepping into the role long held by Michael Ironside. The series made its first appearance at the Annecy Festival, where director Guillaume Dousse revealed some of the visual and tonal inspirations for the show, citing Ghost in the Shell , Ozark , and even elements of Mission: Impossible . Producer Hugo Revon added: 'It was interesting to have this aging character, not totally like the Tom Cruise version but more realistic, and more weathered by life.' The series is set to hit Netflix in late 2025, joining the platform's growing roster of video game adaptations like Castlevania and the upcoming Devil May Cry series. Meanwhile, fans are still waiting on that elusive Splinter Cell remake, which Ubisoft teased years ago but hasn't delivered any meaningful updates on. So, how do you feel about a Sam Fisher who isn't the best at what he does?
Metro
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Wolfenstein 3 hopes reignited as live action TV show is announced
Amazon is developing a live action series based on Wolfenstein, as it continues to expand its roster of video game adaptations. There are so many TV and film adaptations of video games currently in production it's hard to keep up, between new seasons of The Last Of Us, animated Splinter Cell shows, another Street Fighter movie, an OutRun adaptation from Michael Bay, and many others. There's a chance some of them will not see the light of day (Netflix's take on Tom Clancy's The Division appears to be one such casualty) but Amazon, following the success of Fallout, has given the green light to a slew of projects based on video games over recent years. And now another one has been added to the pile, with a series based on the grandaddy of all first person shooters. According to Variety, Amazon is in development on a Wolfenstein live action series. While plot details are being kept secret, the official logline just about sums it up: 'The story of killing Nazis is evergreen.' The show is being created, written, and executive produced by Patrick Somerville, who has a pretty strong CV. He previously created Netflix's Maniac starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, along with HBO miniseries Station Eleven, which was nominated for seven Emmys. Wolfenstein developer MachineGames is involved too, with the studio's co-founder Jerk Gustafsson serving as an executive producer, alongside Jonah Nolan, Lisa Joy, and Athena Wickham via Kilter Films. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. If you're unfamiliar, Wolfenstein is a series of games set in an alternate history of the Second World War. The first two games by Muse Software were 1981's Castle Wolfenstein and Beyond Castle Wolfenstein, which had a top-down perspective and were a very early example of a stealth game. The games remained little known until id Software purchased the rights and made 1992's Wolfenstein 3D – the precursor to Doom and the first widely popular first person shooter. More Trending Today, the series is synonymous with developer MachineGames, who rebooted the series in 2014, with Wolfenstein: The New Order and its sequel Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. These featured much more storytelling and social commentary, while maintaining a heightened sense of absurdity, and are presumably what the TV show will be based on. A third mainline game in the series has been rumoured for some time but never officially announced, and it's unclear what the studio is working on now following Indiana Jones And The Great Circle. Although they have hinted at a Quake reboot (also an id Software property) multiple times. The Amazon adaptation implies there's now a greater chance of a third game coming to fruition, if it isn't already underway. Job listings in 2023 suggested another sequel was in the works, and Bethesda's former head of publishing, Pete Hines, was very keen on the idea, but the poor sales of Wolfenstein 2 and its spin-offs has always left a third title in doubt. This Wolfenstein series is one of many video game adaptations currently in the works at Amazon. Along with Fallout and Secret Level, which are both getting second seasons, the company has green-lit shows based on Mass Effect, God Of War, and tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000 with Henry Cavill. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: 7 films celebrating women in sport after the Lionesses win Euro 2025 MORE: Battlefield 6 battle royale map leaks alongside new gameplay videos MORE: The terrifying case of the 'crossbow cannibal' who idolised the Yorkshire Ripper
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Business Standard
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time game remake may debut earlier than expected
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake might be released sooner than anticipated. According to a report by PC Gamer, the chief financial officer at Ubisoft, Frederick Duguet, during the recent annual general meeting, said that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake is going to be released very soon. Earlier, a report by Insider Gaming claimed that Ubisoft promised to release the game before April 2026, however, now it appears that the game might debut before that. When asked about Tencent's investment in Ubisoft and the new joint venture the companies are forming, Ubisoft's CFO offered a broad overview of how the funds will be allocated. He noted that a portion of the investment will return to Ubisoft, where it will be used "selectively" to support the development of other franchises and to strengthen the company's live games. PC Gamer quoted Duguet as saying: "As you know, we've got some iconic brand names in our catalog that we can either activate or reactivate with little investment. This goes to the remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which is going to be released very soon, or even Splinter Cell later on." Repeated delays Originally announced in 2020 with a targeted release in January 2021, the remake has encountered several setbacks. It's gone through multiple delays, shifted between studios, undergone a complete overhaul, and continued to face production hurdles. With Ubisoft's most recent promise, it is likely that the game will be released at least by the mid of 2026, if any other delay does not hit the game. Notably, Ubisoft has attributed the delays to a focus on quality, stating that additional time is needed to ensure strong outcomes for its biggest projects. If this really is the case, then gamers might be inclined to wait patiently, but if, after all this wait, the game fails to deliver on its promise, then it might not be a good name to carry for Ubisoft. What changed between 2021 and 2025 The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake was first announced in 2020, featuring Yuri Lowenthal reprising his role as the Prince and involvement from series creator Jordan Mechner. As reported by The Verge, Lowenthal had commended Ubisoft for staying true to Mechner's original script and jokingly remarked about being chosen over a 'younger, hotter actor.' But after the project was transferred to Ubisoft Montreal in 2022, it's unclear whether either of them is still actively involved.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ubisoft, Netflix Share Early Look at ‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch' in Annecy's First Work-in-Progress Session of 2025
Teased last September during Geeked Week, the animated TV series 'Splinter Cell: Deathwatch' was the first Netflix title to be teased at the Annecy Animation Festival today. An Ubisoft TV & Film Division project with animation services provided by Æsten and Fost Animation studios, the series dives deep into what made the 'Splinter Cell' franchise successful: gritty realism, a stealth/espionage setting and geopolitical warfare. More from Variety Echoes of Childhood Lost: 'Allah Is Not Obliged' Brings Potent Animated Recollection of Liberian Wars 'Not Just Participating, Designing the Future': Manga Productions's CEO Essam Bukhary on the Saudi Studio's MIFA Debut Steph Curry, Gabrielle Union, Caleb McLaughlin Lead A-List Voice Cast for Sony's Animated Feature 'GOAT' Showcasing never-before-seen footage of the upcoming series, Ubisoft, Æsten and Fost teams presented their project to a captivated Annecy audience in the packed yet cozy setting of Salle Pierre Lamy. What is 'Splinter Cell'? Directly inspired by the works of American novelist Tom Clancy, the 'Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell' series launched in 2002 with the first video game iteration of the franchise, created by Ubisoft. The French studio, which had already launched another franchise based on Clancy's 'Rainbow Six,' captivated the video game community with harsh, riveting infiltration-based gameplay infused with geopolitical warfare and a highly cinematic approach. With six games published from 2002 to 2013 and more than 30 million units sold worldwide to date, 'Splinter Cell' has become one of Ubisoft's major brands, spanning across video games, tie-in novels and now an upcoming animated TV series. An animated thriller for adults is what Hugo Revon, director of development and producer at Ubisoft Film & Television, was aiming for with this series. The project started back in 2020 with the objective of appealing beyond video game or animation fans, targeting mainstream audiences and techno-thriller enthusiasts. 'The Splinter Cell universe is deeply rooted in realism,' said Revon during this WIP session. 'Yet animation allows our team to go further, creating intense atmospheres and traveling throughout Europe in this gripping and modern sequel to the games. What would Sam Fisher be today and in the near future? That is the idea that drove us forward, writing this series.' Along with an older version of Splinter Cell's iconic hero Sam Fisher, voiced by Liev Schreiber, the team led by directors Guillaume Dousse ('Flee') and Félicien Colmet-Daâge ('The Summit of the Gods') will take the audience into a near future where authenticity is key in bringing this universe to screen. 'Think Michael Mann meets Satoshi Kon,' explained Dousse, 'with action inspired by our co-creator and writer Derek Kolstad ('John Wick'). I played a lot of infiltration games in my youth, and 'Splinter Cell' has a deep connection with cinema that appealed to me. Our project has been influenced by the game's lighting, designs and narrative pace, which make for great action sequences combined with moments of slow-paced, tense infiltration bits.' He went on, 'Being able to bring this forth with great animation teams, an incredible cast led by Liev and original music by 'Tokyo Vice'/'Enemy' duo Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans is something wonderful.' Although set in the near future, authenticity was key for Ubisoft's teams, as detailed by Carl Tamakloe, development associate producer at Ubisoft Film & Television. 'Since 2002, the world has evolved, and that is something that we wanted to integrate from the start. Technology has turned old strategies into hybrid warfare with fake news, energy challenges and corporate involvement.' 'It's a whole new world that Sam has to navigate in our project. We also wanted to turn this US-centered saga into a European-centric thriller, which is why we chose the road trip format to tell this 8-episode story. It felt like a good way to immerse our viewers into known settings with a brand new adventure,' he added To convey this high level of realism, the team turned to French Fost Studio, whose work on the acclaimed manga adaptation 'The Summit of the Gods' by Patrick Imbert made them one of the prominent studios handling realistic animation in Europe. Co-director Félicien Colmet-Daâge, who was animation director for Imbert, expanded on the ambition to keep reality as close as possible to the production process: 'Our main challenge was to keep the same quality we had achieved on 'The Summit of the Gods,' but deliver almost twice as much footage. Creating this series brings together 250 people split into 13 teams, with a 15-step pipeline and roughly 4,000 shots. That was a leap of faith for us.' 'Emphasizing key steps such as posing, 3D integrations and backgrounds helped us achieve this level of quality while also relying heavily on photographs. Every shot of the show has been reproduced by us as a photograph so we could then turn them into the most believable animation,' he went on. 'Bringing all our department heads into these photo shoots allowed us to infuse team spirit, emulation and creativity that stimulated us and our teams.' Gaëlle Thierry, Animation Supervisor, also brought her experience from acclaimed features such as 'Mars Express' and 'The Summit of the Gods' to the project. 'Regarding animation, it was important for us to avoid anime-like extravagance and distorted movements,' Thierry detailed while diving into the show's animation process. 'Rotoscopy was also something we quickly turned away from, as it leads to characters losing weight in their actions and brings a distinct feel to the overall animation.' 'We chose to focus instead on straight action lines, detailed character animation and expressions, along with incorporating many 'useless movements.' The kind of stuff you don't usually see in the economy-driven ecosystem of animated series production. Yet with this project, it felt right to bring life and depth to our characters with these tiny details that make them truly human,' he added. 'Animating reality is something that you have to be completely conscious of,' added Thierry. 'This type of animation is quite recent in the French industry, and before 'The Summit of the Gods,' I had little experience in that area. It's a dense process of unlearning what you've always done with cartoonish animated style and re-learning how to observe life and draw from it directly. We had to nurture this approach within our teams, and I'm very happy to be part of this new creative journey.' 'From early on, we knew this project would shine best in the series format,' concluded Hugo Revon. 'The slow pace and atmosphere of this techno-thriller are a perfect match with the beats that one can implement into a show's structure. I'm truly delighted to work with Netflix on bringing back the 'Splinter Cell' universe to the screen. This franchise redefined stealth action in the 2000s, and I can't wait to share this premium TV series with the public.' 'Splinter Cell: Deathwatch' is scheduled to release exclusively on Netflix this fall. Best of Variety 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tom Clancy's ‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch': Fans Go Wild For Clips Of Netflix Animated Series At Annecy As Creative Team Detail Inspirations Ranging From Michael Mann To Satoshi Kon To Tom Cruise
Delighted Splinter Cell fans were shown a trio of clips from the upcoming animated Deathwatch series today at Annecy as Ubisoft execs gave them a peek into the making of the highly-anticipated Netflix adaptation. The audience at a packed Salle Pierre Lamy were shown three clips featuring the first appearance of protagonist Sam Fisher, voiced by Liev Schreiber, an epic fight scene and a car chase. More from Deadline Netflix Unveils Trailer For Tyler Perry's 'Madea's Destination Wedding' Marvel Animation Unveils First Episode Of 'Eyes Of Wakanda' Opening In Ancient Crete & Setting Up 3,000-Year Search For Stolen Vibranium Artefacts Stephen Curry, Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, & Nick Kroll Set For Voice Cast Of Sony Pictures Animation's Sports-Themed Movie 'Goat'- Annecy The creative team talked the crowd through the various influences that have had such an impact on the TV version, which fast forwards Fisher's story to 2025. One of Ubisoft's flagship franchises, the hugely popular game series follows Fisher, the highly trained agent of a fictional black-ops sub-division within the NSA, dubbed 'Third Echelon', as he overcomes his adversaries. Having first been announced in 2020, the Ubisoft series will air later this year on Netflix. Director Guillaume Dousse said he approached the immense task of helming an adaptation of one of the world's most beloved video games by melding Michael Mann and Japanese director-animator Satoshi Kon. Live action noir properties like Ghost in the Shell were also a major influence, he added. 'We took huge inspiration from live action,' he said. 'There is this element of melancholy to the mise en scène. We wanted it to be full of contrasts.' Dousse incorporated lengthier, fixed shots, a rarity for animation, as he cited the famous 17-minute scene in Steve McQueen's Hunger as an example of something he wanted to move towards. The creatives repeatedly stressed that the eight-episode show takes its time, going against the grain of super fast-paced narratives. The soundtrack was also hugely important, with Dousse citing inspirations like Ozark and Tokyo Vice. Another slightly more unlikely inspiration for the older central character was Tom Cruise in the Mission Impossible franchise, who has been making those movies for decades and has grown up with them. 'It was interesting to have this ageing character, not totally like the Tom Cruise version but more realistic, and more weathered by life,' said producer Hugo Revon. Notably, Schreiber is taking on voice duties from Michael Ironside. Ironside, who voiced Fisher in the games, has previously said he is too old to return for the show. Schreiber was 'important for the project' as he is known for live action and the show is aiming to attract a broad audience who simply enjoy a great narrative, Revon said. 'His voice comes to life,' he added of the Ray Donovan star. 'It is so natural.' The show brings the action to Europe and was described as a 'roadtrip around Europe' by Ubisoft development manager Carl Tamakloe. Fast forwarding to 2025 meant facing up to the realities of how war has changed since Splinter Cell first started out as a game. 'We were interested in hybrid warfare,' added Tamakloe. 'Fake news can destabilize a state. We wanted to be rooted in the idea that in 2025 you don't fight like you did in 2000.' Without giving too much away, Tamakloe revealed some of the show will be set around the fictional Cop 31 climate conference, drawing out themes of energy and power. The first Splinter Cell video game was released in 2002. A series of tie-in novels following Fisher on his missions as a black ops agent were published in the mid-2000s. The team were speaking on the first day of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in the south of France, which is being attended by all the big American studios. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Tony Awards: Every Best Musical Winner Since 1949 Tony Awards: Every Best Play Winner Since 1947
