Justin Kurzel and Michael Fassbender’s Assassins Creed (2016) movie may have been a critical flop, but that isn’t stopping Ubisoft from trying to bring one of its biggest franchises to life again.
In partnership with Netflix, Ubisoft Film & Television revealed that it is working on a new live-action series based on Assassin’s Creed. While there aren’t any plot details yet (a showrunner has yet to be found, in fact), the companies have teased that the show will be an “epic, genre-bending” adaptation.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise has spanned numerous time periods and historical events, ranging from the Third Crusade (Assassin’s Creed) to the Italian Renaissance (Assassin’s Creed II) and Ptolemaic Kingdom (Assassin’s Creed Origins), so the episodic nature of a streaming series should be ideal for the kind of epic narrative that Netflix and Ubisoft are aiming to tell.
Our guess is that the series will revolve around a central character like Desmond Miles, who tied together the original trilogy and introduced the player to the franchise’s primary mechanic, the Animus, which allows its users to relive the memories of their ancestors.
Hopefully, the show brings us to time eras and locales that the Assassin’s Creed games haven’t really touched upon yet, such as Ancient China. (The Assassin’s Creed Chronicles games, which are side-scrolling platforms, don’t really count.)
In addition to the live-action series, Netflix and Ubisoft also announced that it is planning animated features based on the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Original Press Release
Netflix today announced it has entered into an agreement with Ubisoft to develop content based on the international best-selling video game franchise Assassin’s Creed. The first series in development is slated to be an epic, genre-bending live action adaptation; a search is currently underway for a showrunner. Ubisoft Film & Television’s Jason Altman and Danielle Kreinik will serve as Executive Producers.
Under the agreement, Netflix and Ubisoft will tap into the iconic video game’s trove of dynamic stories with global mass appeal for adaptations of live action, animated, and anime series.
Ubisoft quote: “For more than 10 years, millions of fans around the world have helped shape the Assassin’s Creed brand into an iconic franchise,” said Jason Altman, Head of Ubisoft Film & Television – Los Angeles. “We’re thrilled to create an Assassin’s Creed series with Netflix and we look forward to developing the next saga in the Assassin’s Creed universe.”
Netflix quote: “We’re excited to partner with Ubisoft and bring to life the rich, multilayered storytelling that Assassin’s Creed is beloved for,” said Peter Friedlander, Vice President, Original Series, Netflix. “From its breathtaking historical worlds and massive global appeal as one of the best selling video game franchises of all time, we are committed to carefully crafting epic and thrilling entertainment based on this distinct IP and provide a deeper dive for fans and our members around the world to enjoy.”