Get ready, stealth fans! Next month, Sam Fisher is making a grand return in the new Netflix animated series, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch. This show promises a fresh, original story, but the latest trailer reveals a gripping twist: Sam’s main antagonist has a deeply personal connection to his past from the iconic video games.
A previous trailer for Deathwatch hinted at this by showing a gravestone for Douglas Shetland, a pivotal character from the Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory games. Douglas was once one of Sam’s most trusted friends, but a tragic turn of events saw him betray his country, leaving Sam with no option but to eliminate him.
The new footage briefly flashes back to Doug’s final moments before returning to his grave. It seems Sam’s past actions are now catching up to him, as Douglas’ daughter, Diana Shetland, has risen to power as the CEO of Xanadu, a mysterious corporation orchestrating a new global crisis.
The legendary spy, Sam Fisher, will be voiced by Liev Schreiber in the series. While Michael Ironside is famously known for his portrayal of Sam in most Splinter Cell games, Eric Johnson also took on the role in the more recent Splinter Cell: Blacklist. The impressive voice cast also includes Kirby Howell-Baptiste (from The Sandman) as the new agent Zinnia McKenna, Janet Varney as the iconic Anna “Grim” Grímsdóttir, and Joel Oulette as Thunder.
Behind the scenes, John Wick co-creator Derek Kolstad serves as head writer and producer for Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, with stunning animation brought to life by Sun Creature Studio and Fost. Mark your calendars: the series is set to premiere on Netflix on October 14th.
For those eagerly awaiting game news, a Splinter Cell remake is currently in development, though updates have been scarce since its announcement in 2022. Interestingly, Ubisoft recently added Steam achievements to 2013’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist, signaling that the franchise isn’t entirely forgotten on the gaming front.
