Doug Liman in Final Talks to Direct 'Splinter Cell' (Exclusive)

Doug Liman is in final negotiations to direct Splinter Cell, the adaptation of the Ubisoft video game that the company is developing with New Regency.

Tom Hardy is attached to star in the feature, which is now eyeing an August start date and a planned 2015 release.

Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road Pictures and Jean-Julien Baronnet of Ubisoft Motion Picture Group are producing.  Liman will also produce along with his partner, David Bartis.

Liman’s boarding now brings the project the closest its been to the runway. Cell was previously in development at DreamWorks and Paramount and at one point had Peter Berg attached to direct.

EARLIER: Tom Hardy Attached to Star in 'Splinter Cell'

Splinter Cell is one of the biggest franchises in the video game world, with sales of over 23 million units as of 2012.

The game centers on Sam Fisher, a spy for a secret government organization called Third Echelon that fights terrorists. Eric Singer, who wrote the initial draft of the script that became American Hustle, wrote the screenplay.

Liman, repped by CAA, is best known for helming the action movies Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Bourne Identity.

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