Tom Hardy will star in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, the Ubisoft film adaptation of the game franchise.

Hardy, who of course co-starred as Bane in this summer's The Dark Knight Rises, will play Sam Fisher, a special ops agent for the organization known as Echelon.

Who Is Sam Fisher?

Collider reported earlier today, and Variety now confirms along with this casting news, that Eric Singer (The International) will write the script.

Hardy brings a certain prestige to the game-to-film genre that has often been missing in the past. This tracks with Ubisoft's other big property currently in development, Assassin's Creed, which Michael Fassbender will co-produce and star in for New Regency and Fox. Splinter Cell doesn't have a studio yet, though Ubisoft has already begun talks with Warner Bros. and Paramount.

"Tom Hardy is currently one of the biggest talents in the film industry, and he has a phenomenal ability to take on complex and varied roles with his broad range of acting skills," said Jean-Julien Baronnet, CEO of Ubisoft Motion Pictures. "His involvement in the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell movie is exciting news for movie and video game fans alike. Meanwhile, Eric Singer is one of the most talented writers of the moment, and ... we're confident he'll bring a fresh approach and create a thrilling story ... while still respecting all the codes and traditions of the franchise that are so important to fans."

Talk to Senior Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottIGN, on IGN at scottcollura and on Facebook.

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Today, new downloadable content was announced for the video game adaptation of Game of Thrones. The DLC, titled Beyond the Wall, adds an additional two hours of play according to the issued press release.

Beyond the Wall explores the past of Mors Westfold and his early experiences with the Night's Watch. Players will travel, as you might expect, beyond the Wall and into Wildling territory, uncovering the origin story of Mors.

Game of Thrones: Beyond the Wall is currently available for PC and Xbox 360. The PlayStation 3 version will be launched on the PlayStation Network "in the weeks to come."

Ryan Clements writes for IGN. He's almost finished with the first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series. Follow him on Twitter at @PwamCider.

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Warner Bros. has revealed some new details about the Mortal Kombat movie reboot, suggesting that the new adaptation is already in production.

According to WorstPreviews, Warner Bros executive Lance Sloan confirmed that the film was being developed, as well as its director and budget.

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We're preparing right now for the film with Kevin Tancharoen, [who] directed the digital series for us. He's at the helm of the forty, fifty million dollar film.

“We're preparing right now for the film with Kevin Tancharoen, [who] directed the digital series for us," said Sloan. "He's at the helm of the forty, fifty million dollar film."

The series he's referring to is Mortal Kombat: Legacy, which debuted on YouTube in April 2011. Aside from this, Tancharoen's other directorial efforts include the remake of Fame, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie and The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll. Sooo....yeah. Fingers crossed that he draws on resources from Legacy rather than his earlier batch of work when making the movie?

In terms of the proposed plot for the reboot, nothing has been confirmed, but rumours are swirling it'll follow a supermarket employee who discovers he has otherworldly powers and must make the ultimate choice between fighting for the side of good or evil.

The original Mortal Kombat film appeared in 1995 and was directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. This in turn spawned a sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation in 1997, which performed poorly at the box office in comparison to its predecessor. As a result a planned third film, Mortal Kombat: Devastation, was shelved indefinitely until Warner Bros. picked up the rights to Midway's assets in 2009 following the game studio going bankrupt.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant and Mortal Kombat fanatic. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

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We've heard quite a bit about Disney's long-awaited adaptation of The Lone Ranger -- mostly in regards to the film's storied production issues. However, the film's star Armie Hammer recently offered a bit more insight into the title character, which he describes as a vigilante comparable to Batman and, to a lesser extent, Spider-Man. Here's what the actor had to say (from Empire Magazine via ComicBookMovie):

"It's the rock 'n roll Lone Ranger, actually. Our take is darker and more complex, more action-packed and more badass than the old TV show. It's a 21st century version of the character you know. There's a little of the Dark Knight in him. There's less moral ambiguity, but there are definite similarities. They're both vigilantes who feel they have to wear a mask to serve justice because the people who are supposed to be doing it aren't. I think The Lone Ranger will always resonate with people as a seeker of justice in the same way Spider-Man or Batman does. And I think we're doing a great job of making the character accessible to everyone, from the seven-year-old kid who brings his cap gun to the theatre to the 80-year-olds who remember the original radio show."

The Gore Verbinski-helmed project is currently slated for a July 3, 2013 release.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love on Twitter and IGN.

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