The long-awaited live-action Assassin’s Creed series is officially a go at Netflix, tapping Robert Patino (Westworld, DMZ) and David Wiener (Halo, Fear The Walking Dead) as co-creators, showrunners, and executive producers. This marks a significant step forward after years of development and behind-the-scenes changes, signaling that the adaptation is finally moving into active production. Along with Patino and Wiener, Gerard Guillemot, Margaret Boykin, Austin Dill, and Matt O’Toole will also serve as executive producers.
The journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. Initial plans for the show were announced in 2020, but subsequent shifts in leadership, including the departure of previous showrunner Jeb Stuart in early 2022, cast doubt on the project’s future. News that the show had been scrapped by some outlets were refuted by Ubisoft and Netflix at the time, leaving fans wondering when and in what form the show might be realized.
Netflix’s renewed commitment, solidified by this week’s announcement, aims to bring the intricate world of Assassin’s Creed to life for a wider audience. The games, celebrated for their immersive historical settings and action-packed narratives, offer a rich tapestry for adaptation. While specific details about the series’ setting remain under wraps, Ubisoft has hinted that it could explore multiple time periods.
“The Assassin’s Creed live-action series is a high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions: one set on determining mankind’s future through control and manipulation, the other fighting to preserve free will. The series follows characters across pivotal historical events as they battle to shape humanity’s destiny,” reads a statement from Ubisoft.
This ambition presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Capturing the essence of the games’ parkour, combat, and historical detail will require careful planning and execution. The production team’s experience in crafting high-concept narratives, however, provides a strong foundation.
One source close to the production, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed an unusual detail about the early stages: the writers’ room spent considerable time debating the “physics of the Leap of Faith,” the iconic swan dive that’s a series trademark. This emphasis on realism, even in a fantastical context, suggests a commitment to grounding the show in believable rules. Expanding on this, the source stated that the showrunners are determined to avoid the pitfalls of other video game adaptations that sacrifice character development for spectacle.
“Beneath the scope, the spectacle, the parkour and the thrills is a baseline for the most essential kind of human story – about people searching for purpose, struggling with questions of identity and destiny and faith,” co-creators Patino and Wiener said in a joint statement. “It is about power and violence and sex and greed and vengeance. But more than anything, this is a show about the value of human connection, across cultures, across time. And it’s about what we stand to lose as a species, when those connections break.”
This perspective aligns with a core principle that defines successful adaptations: understanding the source material’s underlying themes and emotional core. The Assassin’s Creed games, at their heart, explore themes of freedom, control, and the ongoing battle between opposing ideologies.
Initial reactions from the gaming community have been mixed, as seen across social media.
- “Hope they don’t mess this up like they did with the movie,” one user commented on X.com.
- “Casting needs to be on point! Give us actors who embody the characters,” posted another on Facebook.
- An instagram comment read, “I’m cautiously optimistic. The showrunners have a good track record, but it’s still a video game adaptation…”
These concerns are understandable, given the history of lackluster video game adaptations. However, Netflix’s investment and the pedigree of the creative team offer hope that this Assassin’s Creed series will buck the trend.
One fan, Sarah Miller, who lives near the reported studio location in Toronto, described the local buzz. “There have been whispers about set construction for months,” she said. “The full scope was unknown at first,” she explained, “but now everyone’s putting two and two together. I’m excited to see what they create.”
While no release date has been announced, production is expected to ramp up quickly. The potential for this series is enormous, offering a chance to bring a beloved franchise to a new audience and establish a new benchmark for video game adaptations. It remains to be seen if the potential for a successful venture and the actual project outcome are the same, but the studio seems determined to make the most out of this opportunity. Any potential mishaps seem to be accounted for, which is a comforting sign for those following along.