Ubisoft and Netflix Reveal First Look at Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Series

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During Geeked Week back in September, it was hinted that “Splinter Cell: Deathwatch,” an animated television series, would be the first Netflix project to be showcased at this year’s Annecy Animation Festival.

A collaboration between Ubisoft’s TV & Film Division, Æsten, and Fost Animation studios, the series explores the elements that contributed to the popularity of the “Splinter Cell” video game series: its gritty realism, stealth/espionage environment, and geopolitical conflicts.

Or simply:

The TV show produced by Ubisoft, Æsten, and Fost Animation teams delves into why the “Splinter Cell” games became popular: their realistic grittiness, stealth/spy setting, and geopolitical battles.

At a packed yet intimate venue, Salle Pierre Lamy, the Æsten and Fost teams from Ubisoft unveiled exclusive, never-before-seen footage of their upcoming series to an enthralled Annecy audience.

In a crowded yet comfortable setting, the Salle Pierre Lamy played host as the Æsten and Fost teams from Ubisoft shared previously unseen footage of their new series with a spellbound audience at Annecy.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell” is a popular video game series that was initially inspired by the works of American author Tom Clancy. The series was first introduced in 2002 as a game produced by Ubisoft, following their successful creation of another franchise based on Clancy’s “Rainbow Six.” The games are known for their intense, gripping stealth-based gameplay that incorporates geopolitical conflicts and a cinematic style. Since its launch, six games have been published from 2002 to 2013, with over 30 million units sold globally. Today, “Splinter Cell” is one of Ubisoft’s most recognized brands, expanding into video games, novels, and soon an animated TV series.

Hugo Revon, Ubisoft Film & Television’s director of development and producer, envisioned an adult-oriented animated series. This project originated in 2020, with the goal to attract viewers beyond just video game or animation enthusiasts, focusing on mainstream audiences and techno-thriller aficionados instead. Revon shared during a WIP session that “The Splinter Cell universe is grounded in realism.” However, animation enables the team to delve deeper, crafting tense atmospheres and exploring Europe in this gripping, contemporary continuation of the games. The question of what Sam Fisher’s life looks like today and in the future served as the inspiration for writing this series.

As a follower, I’m excited to join forces with the updated version of Sam Fisher, the renowned hero from Splinter Cell, voiced by Liev Schreiber. Under the leadership of directors Guillaume Dousse (“Flee”) and Félicien Colmet-Daâge (“The Summit of the Gods”), we’ll embark on a journey into a future that’s strikingly close, where authenticity is our guiding principle as we bring this captivating universe to life on screen.

Dousse described the concept as blending the style of Michael Mann and Satoshi Kon, with action elements reminiscent of Derek Kolstad, our co-creator and scriptwriter from ‘John Wick’. I was heavily influenced by infiltration games I used to play, particularly ‘Splinter Cell’. The game’s connection to cinema intrigued me, specifically its lighting, design, and the rhythm of its narrative. This influence has shaped our project, creating a blend of intense action sequences and slow-paced, suspenseful infiltration scenes.

He continued, “It’s truly marvelous to have such a vibrant project come to life with top-notch animation teams, an exceptional cast headed by Liev Schreiber, and original music from the talented duo Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans (‘Tokyo Vice’, ‘Enemy’).

In the upcoming setting, authenticity was a top priority for Ubisoft’s development teams, as explained by Carl Tamakloe, associate producer at Ubisoft Film & Television. Since 2002, the world has undergone significant changes, and these developments were intentionally incorporated from the beginning. The advancement of technology has transformed traditional strategies into a mixed form of warfare that includes false information, energy crises, and corporate interference.

Sam finds himself in uncharted territories within our project. We decided to shift the focus of this story from America to Europe, and we opted for a road trip format to create an 8-episode European-centric thriller. This approach seemed ideal for providing our audience with familiar settings while offering them a fresh, exciting journey.

To achieve such a high degree of realism, the team sought assistance from French Foyst Studio, renowned for their exceptional work on the critically acclaimed animated adaptation “The Summit of the Gods” by Patrick Imbert, making them one of the leading European studios specializing in realistic animation.

Co-director Félicien Colmet-Daâge, who previously served as the animation director for Imbert, spoke about their ongoing effort to closely mirror reality in the production process: “Our primary goal was to maintain the same high quality we had achieved in ‘The Summit of the Gods,’ but produce nearly double the amount of footage. This series involves collaboration from 250 people organized into 13 teams, following a 15-step pipeline and approximately 4,000 shots. Taking on this project was a bold step for us.

Focusing on crucial aspects like poses, 3D blending, and backdrops significantly contributed to the high-quality outcome of our project. Each scene from the show was meticulously recreated as a photograph before being transformed into realistic animation. By involving all our team leaders in these photoshoots, we fostered camaraderie, inspiration, and innovation that invigorated not only us but also our entire teams.

Gaëlle Thierry, serving as Animation Supervisor, contributed her expertise from critically acclaimed productions like “Mars Express” and “The Summit of the Gods” to our project. In terms of animation, it was crucial for us to steer clear of over-the-top anime aesthetics and unnatural movements, as explained by Thierry during a discussion on the show’s animation techniques. We also opted not to employ rotoscopy due to its tendency to make characters appear lighter in their actions and impart a specific style to the overall animation.

Rather than concentrating on cost-effective storylines, we opted for intricate character movements, realistic animations, and expressions. This includes adding ‘unnecessary’ or ‘extra’ actions, which are not common in the budget-conscious world of animated series production. However, for this specific project, it seemed fitting to infuse our characters with authenticity by incorporating these subtle details that breathe life into them, making them appear more human.

Thierry remarked, “When it comes to animating reality, you need to be fully aware.” In the French animation industry, this method is relatively new, and prior to ‘The Summit of the Gods,’ I had limited experience in it. It’s a complex process of unlearning traditional cartoonish techniques and learning to draw from life instead. We needed to foster this approach among our team members, and I’m delighted to be on this innovative creative path.

Hugo Revon stated that since the beginning, it was clear that the ‘Splinter Cell’ project would thrive as a series. The slow tempo and ambiance of this techno-thriller aligns perfectly with the rhythm suitable for a TV show. I am thrilled to collaborate with Netflix in reviving the ‘Splinter Cell’ universe on screen. This franchise revolutionized stealth action in the 2000s, and I can hardly wait to unveil this high-quality TV series to the audience.

“Splinter Cell: Deathwatch” is scheduled to release exclusively on Netflix this fall.

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2025-06-09 19:47