‘Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell’ Ignites Hollywood Bidding War

‘Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell’ video game series seems like an untapped market for filmmakers. So it’s little surprise to hear that at least two major movie studios have initiated conversations with Ubisoft for the rights to convert the cinematic game experience to the big screen.

Representatives from Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures reportedly have met with Ubisoft in recent weeks to possibly seal a deal to make ‘Splinter Cell’ into a film, Deadline reports. Though neither studio would officially comment on the negotiations, Deadline notes that Paramount’s in bed with Clancy already, funding a reboot of the Jack Ryan film series with Chris Pine in the lead role and Kenneth Branagh behind the camera. Does that give them a leg up with Ubisoft to possibly take over the rights to ‘Splinter Cell?’

The video games, which first came out in 2002, center on a lethal, stealth agent named Sam Fisher who embarks on a series of dangerous global missions. There have been six ‘Splinter Cell’ games to date, each expanding the universe a little further. The seventh, ‘Blacklist,’ will reach stores in 2013.

Given the popularity of the ‘Bourne’ movies and the recent success of movies like ‘At of Valor,’ studios should understand there’s a definite market out there for these types of espionage films. Converting video games to silver-screen productions is an imperfect science, though, so buying the rights from Ubisoft doesn’t guarantee success.

Tell us, ‘Splinter Cell’ fans. Do you want to see Sam Fisher on screen? Whom would you like to see cast in the role? And who’d make for a good director? Share your thoughts below.