If you can put a face on who Michael Ironside is, you probably can at least put one on his voice. He’s been doing the voice of Sam Fisher for the Splinter Cell games from the very beginning of the series. Now though, it’s starting to look like he may not be lending his vocal chords to the next title, Splinter Cell Conviction. According to a source for Sarcastic Gamer, the problem stems from issues with Ironside’s ego and monetary demands:
“He was getting to way too egotistical about the project and extremely difficult to work with. He was also asking for a sh*t load of money…He pretty much tied his own noose.”
Can’t see what the man would have to get all egotistical about. Scrolling through his IMDB page, it takes awhile to find something all that recognizable, let alone good (all I found was Starship Troopers, The Perfect Storm, and Total Recall). Anyway, the point is we may be hearing a new Sam Fisher once this game finally hits store shelves.
Via Sarcastic Gamer
7 Comments to Rumor: Michael Ironside Not Appearing in Splinter Cell Conviction
by: John
On June 17, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Ummm, did you ever see the television series called “V” or is that before your time? Michael Ironside was the one of the main human resistance fighters of the show. The movie Watchers? Free Willy? Seaquest DSV? ER? Smallville? Stargate SG-1? You really couldn’t find anything good? How about just the fact that he’s been Sam Fisher with that distinct voice for oh…every game thus far. How about that?
by: Mustikos
On June 17, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Yeah but most of those shows you listed he was not a main character in at all. Hes like the Number one extra guy.. I also stopped watching Seaquest when he came on the show, wasn’t just him though the whole show started to annoy me. He was in Command and Conquer 3.
by: Steve
On June 17, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Regardless of Ironsides’ recognition with the X-generation crowd (he’s the staple “bad guy” actor to me), this is a major blow to Splinter Cell fans. This would be the theoretical equivalent to David Hayter refusing to doing the voice of Snake for MGS4 – and I guarantee less people know who the hell Hayter is in comparison to Ironsides.
With Ubi doing a complete game rewrite and now this, I’m ready to give up on this franchise. They were drifting away from the magnificince that was Chaos Theory anyway.
Ubi, if you’re too cheap then perhaps you shouldn’t take the safe route and nestle yourself with an established brand name. Grow some balls and take a chance with a new IP.
by: Dan
On July 2, 2008 at 4:19 pm
i think they’ll give in to whatever money he’s asking for if it’s strictly a monetary issue. it’s too much of a risk for ubi soft to not have ironside in the game when almost every other element in the game will be different also.
by: Davn Kincade
On July 2, 2008 at 6:01 pm
@ Steve
I dunno man, if he’s asking (for example) the same amount that it would take to..say..develop the game itself…well, that a lot of scratch to be handing out for voice acting regardless of his connection to the series, i mean there’s greedy and then there’s *GREEDY*.
But since we don’t know -exactly- the sum of what he’s asking we have to take Ubi’s word for it…for what it’s worth.
@Dan
I doubt they’ll buckle down…this isn’t 1984 anymore and there are a ton of voice actors that will be more than eager to take on this role to be sure.
by: lt kirby
On July 18, 2008 at 12:16 pm
dont get me wrong, I would be absolutely devastated if Michael Ironside didnt play the voice of Samuel J Fisher, but it woudnt stop be playing the game or even stop be enjoying it. Yes, I consider him to be the voice of Sam Fisher, and yes it would be a deep loss, but at the end of the day, from Ubisofts point of view, Michael Ironside (as much as I do like the guy as an actor) sounds like a really difficult person to work with and demanding way too much money – well understandably Ubisoft are gonna axe him…they’re a business and out to make money.
Side tracking a bit, if you want to hear a clip I found with the new Sam Fisher voice, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-r8VzIE994&feature=related for a bit and listen yourselves. I hope that helps
by: Lt Kirby
On December 13, 2008 at 5:06 am
Guys don’t worry, I read somewhere a statement from his agent/manager and it basically says that this whole rumour is a lie and that nobody can understand where it has come from.
Ironside will infact likely reprise his role as our beloved agent, however for the moment (as far as I’m aware) voice casting hasn’t even started yet, but by the sounds of it, there is no reason why he wouldn’t be reprising his role.