Netflix Developing Live-Action Assassin’s Creed Series
Video games continue to be the new gold mine for tv production as Netflix announces a deal with Ubisoft to develop a live-action series based on the hugely successful franchise ‘Assassin’s Creed‘.
For those of you who are not gamers, ‘Assassin’s Creed’ was first released in 2007, and blends historical fiction with historical fact and characters, with sci-fi elements sprinkled on top. The basic premise revolves around rivalry and conflict between two ancient secret societies – the Assassins, who represent freedom, and the Knights Templar, who represent order. In the present day, the Templars control a device called the Animus that allows its user to relive the memories of their ancestors through their genetic material. By kidnapping descendants of past Assassins, they can use their genetic memory to explore their ancestral history in an attempt to locate artefacts known as the “Pieces of Eden”, which are said to protect the Earth from a devastating solar flare.
“We’re excited to partner with Ubisoft and bring to life the rich, multilayered storytelling that Assassin’s Creed is beloved for,” commented Peter Friedlander, VP, 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.”
There have been 11 games so far in the Assassin’s Creed main franchise, set in various histories, from the Third Crusade, through 5th century Florence, to pirate adventures, the French Revolution, Ptolemaic Egypt, and Classical Greece. The 12th game, ‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla‘, which (as you can probably guess) involves Norse mythology and Vikings, is set to be released in November 2020. The entire franchise has sold more than 155 million games worldwide and is one of the best-selling series in video game history.
“For more than 10 years, millions of fans around the world have helped shape the Assassin’s Creed brand into an iconic franchise,” adds 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.”
This is not the first time Ubisoft has tried to bring ‘Assassin’s Creed’ to screen. In 2016, a feature film was made, directed by Justin Kurzel and starring Michael Fassbender in the lead role. Whilst the movie was, shall we say… less than well-received by fans, it did take home $240.7 million from the box office on a budget of $125 million.
We don’t yet know exactly what setting ‘Assassin’s Creed‘ will take, but it does have the potential to be an interesting genre-bending series which could skip through various historical events with each season. We’ll let you know when we hear more.
