Netflix and Ubisoft have teamed up for an adaptation of the “Splinter Cell” video game anime series, Variety has learned.
Derek Kolstad, best known for his work writing the “John Wick” film franchise, will be the series’ writer and executive producer. According to sources, the series received a request for two seasons and 16 episodes on the streaming service.
Netflix, Ubisoft and Kolstad representatives declined to comment on the details of the deal.
The first “Splinter Cell” game was released in 2002 with near-universal critical recognition and mass sales. The game follows former U.S. Navy SEAL Sam Fisher after the NSA recruits him to work for the mysterious Third Echelon division within the agency. The game sees Fisher participate in various black ops missions, employing stealth and military tactics.
The game has spawned six sequels, as well as a series of novels. A “Splinter Cell” movie has been in the works for years. Tom Hardy has been chosen to play Fisher since 2012, although the project is currently considered dormant.
Kolstad has worked on all three “John Wick” films to date, and the films have grossed more than $ 584 million combined worldwide. Other recent Kolstad credits include the co-creation of the Quibi series “Die Hart,” starring Kevin Hart and John Travolta. He also worked on the “Falcon and Winter Soldier” series at Disney Plus and has the “Nobody” feature at Universal. The film will be released next year, while “Falcon and Winter Soldier” will debut later this year.
He is represented by APA, Circle of Confusion, and Behr Abramson Levy.
“Splinter Cell” is not the first series that will see Ubisoft join a streamer. The company also produces the Apple TV Plus series “Mythic Quest”. That show comes from Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz and follows the team into a game development studio responsible for creating an online “World of Warcraft” role-playing game. The series was renewed for a second season before the series premiere. Ubisoft also previously adapted their game “Assassin’s Creed” into a movie starring Michael Fassbender in 2016.
