Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Firewall will be a joint project between Rhian Roberts, Digital Editor of BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4 Extra, and Alison Hindell, Commissioning Editor for Radio 4 Drama and Fiction. In a recent press statement, Hindell stated, “I am really thrilled to be bringing to Radio 4 and BBC Sounds this innovative and exciting series, and feel sure it will have listeners hooked from the start. We have a great team working together to bring this world to life for audio listeners, familiar as it is in another form to its millions of game fans. We hope they will enjoy hearing situations and characters that they love, given added layers and dimensions through this new interpretation of the story, and the binaural element is an added bonus.”
Derek Kolstad, creator of the John Wick franchise, is onboard to write the series. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/c3vjJV0wfR — Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) June 11, 2021 Poulter made a few comments about the game, The Maze Runner star stating that, for the fans, the show’s creators pulled out all the stops to integrate the vital elements of a Splinter Cell game, including its action, tension, and excitement. He also noted that the series involved a lot of comedy and improved drama that ensures it doesn’t feel overly serious and drab. The audio series will follow agent Fisher as he is dispatched on a new mission to recruit and train the next generation of Splinter Cell operatives, including his daughter Sarah. Meanwhile, a formidable assassin from Fisher’s past returns from the dead and is hellbent on killing the veteran. Fisher must fight to save his life and prevent a new threat to global security. Michael Ironside, who is known for playing Fisher in the franchise, won’t be reprising his role despite fans’ wishes. In his place, Andonis Anthony, who has starred in films like Charismata and DCI Banks, will play Fisher. Daisy Head, the Shadow and Bone actress, will play the daughter Sarah. Other confirmed cast members are Rosalie Craig, Sacha Dhawan, Nikesh Patel, and Will Poulter. However, their roles remain unconfirmed at this time. Sebastian Baczkiewicz wrote the series’s script alongside Paul Cornell, whose writing credits include Doctor Who, Holby City, and Casualty. The show is also recorded in 3D binaural audio and, as a result, listeners can rest assured of an immersive listening experience when they use their headphones. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell is a stealth action-adventure video game series that debuted in 2002. Following its initial release, the franchise established itself as one of the mainstays of the stealth action-adventure genre with many successful title releases. Sadly, the game series experienced a downturn following its last game titled Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Many players believe this occurrence is responsible for Ubisoft’s lack of interest in developing another Splinter Cell title since 2013. After a nine-year hiatus, however, Ubisoft seems to be making efforts to return the title to its glory days. Apart from the forthcoming audio show with BBC Radio 4, the studio is also working on a remake of the first game in the series. Unfortunately, the game’s director David Grivel left Ubisoft in October 2022 and this will probably impact the game’s progress in some way, although Ubisoft hasn’t provided any information on the extent of said impact. Furthermore, Netflix is developing an animated series based on the game with Derek Kolstad, the brain behind the John Wick franchise, in charge of its development. Apart from Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell titles, Ubisoft is also responsible for numerous top-rated video game franchises including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Prince of Persia, Watch Dogs, and Rabbids. BBC Radio 4 is the second most popular radio station in the UK, after Radio 2, with over 10 million listeners. It broadcasts a range of audio-related programs, like news, comedy, drama, and science and history, across the United Kingdom. Aside from the forthcoming Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series, BBC Radio 4 has covered a variety of shows, including Tracks, The Lovecraft Investigations, Tumanbay, and The Stone Tape. By the way, Ubisoft revealed the concept art for its Splinter Cell remake earlier this month to commemorate the game’s 20th anniversary. Also, there are reports that one of the most popular characters in the Call of Duty series, Ghost, might be getting his own spinoff title. Finally, Fans of the Need for Speed franchise will be glad to learn that gameplay footage from the upcoming Need for Speed Unbound game has leaked online. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Firewall will broadcast at 2:15 pm on BBC Radio 4 from December 2. All eight episodes will be available for streaming as a boxset on BBC Sounds in the Limelight podcast feed on the same day.
