Michael Ironside Reveals Why He Didn't Return As Sam Fisher In TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: BLACKLIST

Sam Fisher voiced by Michael Ironside (Top Gun, Starship Troopers) has finally returned in the special Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands event titled Special Operation #1. The actor has been playing Fisher since the very beginning of the Splinter Cell series back in 2002. He reprised the role in five sequels, Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory, Essentials, Double Agent, and finally Conviction in 2010. 

Sadly, Ironside didn't return as the superannuated agent in Blacklist which was released five years ago. Ubisoft hired Eric Johnson instead to play Fisher, but the actor couldn't capture the magic of Ironside's voice and attitude. The latest video interview with the actor finally gives us a chance to learn why Johnson replaced him in Blacklist, and the actor's explanation is sadder than we could've imagined. 

"Sam never left, I'm still here," Ironside said. "Well, I don't know if you guys want to talk about this or not, but I got cancer and  I thought I was actually going to die and I had 60-65% of not making it, I had prostate and bowel cancer and some others. I tried to walk away and put it in good hands and just walk away," Ironside worked as a consultant on Blacklist and helped Johnson play Fisher.

It seems that Special Operation #1 won't be the last time we've seen Ironside's Sam. "I'm quite proud of Splinter Cell, I'm proud of being part of something that is much organically correct as you're allowed to be in that game world. I think we got maximum out of that and created something. And I didn't die," the actor jokingly concluded. Ubisoft tried to explain his absence in Blacklist by saying that the company needed a younger actor capable of doing motion capture and performance.

There's a big chance we will see the next chapter of the Splinter Cell franchise during the upcoming. Be sure to watch the full interview with Michael Ironside down below. Indeed, it's good to be back, sir.