Tom Hardy to play Sam Fisher in upcoming Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell movie

Ubisoft today announced that acclaimed actor Tom Hardy will star as the character Sam Fisher in its upcoming movie based on the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell video game franchise.

Ubisoft described Hardy, whose recent work includes roles of iconic villain "Bane" in The Dark Knight Rises and con man "Eams" in Inception, as a "highly-versatile actor". He recently started in Lawless, the boxing drama Warrior, and will be the lead role in Mad Max: Fury Road.

“Tom Hardy is 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 video game fans alike,” said Jean-Julien Baronnet, chief executive officer at Ubisoft Motion Pictures.

So who exactly is Sam Fisher? Hardy will be playing a highly-trained special operative in the fictional black-ops sub-division, "Echelon". Fisher and the agents of Echelon use their combat skills and high-tech weaponry to neutralize international terrorist threats and rogue forces in stories ripped from the headlines.

Eric Singer will be joining Hardy, but is attached to write the screenplay. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Blacklist is set for release in spring 2013, but there's been no confirmation if the film will be based on an exact video game from the series.

"Eric Singer is one of the most talented writers today," Baronnet added. "We’re confident he’ll bring a fresh approach and create a thrilling story for the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell movie, while still respecting all the codes and traditions of the franchise that are so important to fans.”

Meanwhile, Ubisoft's other video game series, Assassin's Creed, is also on the fast-track for a motion picture release. The film, which will star Michael Fassbender, could release as early as 2013.