Tom Hardy to star in Splinter Cell movie

Tom Hardy is set to star in the film adaptation of 'Splinter Cell'.

The 'Dark Knight Rises' star will play the revered video game's protagonist Sam Fisher, a highly-trained black ops type whose speciality is stealth and taking out terrorists.

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The project is being produced by the film arm of Ubisoft, the company that made the original game, and has yet to attach itself to a major studio – though it's thought that Warner Bros. and Paramount are the most likely to bring it to the big screen.

Everything points to the production being more edgy than your average video game adaptation, and not only because Hardy is set for the lead role.

The script has been written by Eric Singer, whose project 'American Bulls**t' is in production with Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Renner starring, and David O. Russell directing.

The first 'Splinter Cell' game emerged in 2002, endorsed by author and Jack Ryan creator Tom Clancy, with hero Sam Fisher voiced by veteran actor Michael Ironside.

It's since shifted 23 million units worldwide.

The sixth installment in the series, 'Splinter Cell: Blacklist', has been announced for release in Spring 2013.

Ubisoft will have its hands full with film production in the coming years. It announced that a movie version of its historical action-adventure title 'Assassin's Creed' will land in 2013, starring Michael Fassbender.