Tom Hardy to star in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

The forthcoming adaptation of Ubisoft’s popular videogame Splinter Cell has moved closer to its first piece of casting, with Tom Hardy in talks to play the leading role.

Hardy is reportedly in line to play Sam Fisher, the special operative who headed up the first game in the series, of which the seventh installment is set to arrive next year.

At present, Ubisoft has yet to find a studio with which to work, although the developer has held discussions with both Warner Bros and Paramount.

Ubisoft Motion Pictures CEO Jean-Julien Baronnet had the following to say about the Hardy discussions:

“Tom Hardy is currently one of the biggest talents in the film industry, and he has a phenomenal ability to take on complex and varied roles with his broad range of acting skills. His involvement in the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell movie is exciting news for movie and videogame fans alike.

“Meanwhile, Eric Singer is one of the most talented writers of the moment, and … we’re confident he’ll bring a fresh approach and create a thrilling story … while still respecting all the codes and traditions of the franchise that are so important to fans.”

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.