Derek Kolstad, the creative force behind the “John Wick” franchise and showrunner for Netflix`s highly anticipated animated series Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, recently offered profound insights into his approach to adapting beloved intellectual properties. He firmly believes that successful adaptations require a willingness to “rip the spine out” of the original source material.
During a recent interview, Kolstad elaborated on his philosophy, stating that while Deathwatch intends to honor the spirit of the iconic Splinter Cell games, it should not be constrained by an overly rigid adherence to every detail. He explained his method: “You have to extract the core essence from the source material. Preserve its intellect and emotional depth, engage its spirit, and then diligently reconstruct it into a functional new entity.” This perspective suggests a focus on capturing the fundamental feel and themes rather than a direct, scene-for-scene recreation.
The animated series is set several decades after the narrative timeline of the original video games. Kolstad admitted he is unsure whether Deathwatch will be officially recognized as canon, though he expressed hope that it will. He acknowledged Ubisoft`s stringent control over its valuable intellectual properties, recalling instances during development where creative choices were gently steered away. “There were some things that along the way [Ubisoft] were like, `Don`t do that.` And I`m like, `Why?` And they`re like, `Hey, we got other plans,`” Kolstad recounted.
These alluded “other plans” could encompass various future projects, potentially including the long-awaited Splinter Cell remake, which has been in development since its announcement in 2022 with minimal updates since then.
In the same interview, Kolstad addressed a significant casting decision: the absence of Michael Ironside, the renowned voice actor who originally brought Sam Fisher to life in the games. While Kolstad expressed immense admiration for Ironside`s performances, he indicated that the team sought a “new sound” for the animated interpretation of the character. After reviewing numerous interested actors, the role was ultimately awarded to Liev Schreiber.
Kolstad revealed that his appreciation for Schreiber`s portrayal of John Clark in the 2002 film The Sum of All Fears (itself an adaptation of a Tom Clancy novel) played a crucial role. He considered Schreiber`s performance in that movie to be “perfect,” making him an ideal candidate for Sam Fisher.
“Regardless of opinions on that movie, Liev Schreiber as John Clark was flawless,” Kolstad remarked. “So when his name emerged, we viewed it through that specific lens. Both are Tom Clancy characters, intimately connected, from the same creator and universe, making the choice feel unequivocally perfect.”
Splinter Cell: Deathwatch is scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix on October 14.
Separate from the animated series, the gaming world continues to anticipate a remake of the classic Splinter Cell title, which was initially announced in 2022. Updates regarding its progress have been notably scarce. In other news for the franchise, Ubisoft recently introduced Steam achievements for Splinter Cell: Blacklist, a title originally released in 2013.