Michael Fassbender’s Assassin’s Creed Movie Bombed Because Ubisoft Ignored a DC Star Tailor-Made for the Role

When the live-action adaptation of Assassin’s Creed hit movie theaters in December 2016, it created a lot of buzz. The movie was not only given a significant budget of $125 million, but it also boasted a star-studded cast, with Michael Fassbender playing the lead role of Callum Lynch. However, the film was a commercial and critical disappointment.

Despite its promise, the movie failed to recreate the magic of the beloved video game series, leaving fans to wonder where it all went wrong. While many factors contributed to the film’s underperformance, one mistake seems to stand out: the casting of Michael Fassbender, when they should have looked towards Stephen Amell, the actor who was practically made for this part.

Stephen Amell Would Have Been Perfect in Assassin’s Creed

When it comes to playing the lead character: Callum Lynch, it’s hard to argue that Stephen Amell wasn’t the perfect fit. At the time of the movie’s release, Amell had already established himself as one of the leading men in the action genre, thanks to his portrayal of Oliver Queen on Arrow.

The CW’s Arrow was a hit show not only because of its compelling storyline but also because of Amell’s incredible physical presence and ability to bring depth to the character. He was also committed to making fans believe that he was a real-life crime-fighting vigilante and a skilled assassin.

In fact, Amell’s participation in a special celebrity edition of American Ninja Warrior in 2017 showcased just how much physical prowess he possessed. At the time, it was hard to imagine anyone else executing the action-heavy sequences of Assassin’s Creed with the same level of intensity and realism that Amell could have brought.

There is no doubt that Michael Fassbender is a talented actor, and he was a great Magneto. But Amell had the perfect qualities for an action role like this, where the character was athletic and did not rely on superpowers.

His charisma, physical presence, and established rapport with viewers (thanks to Arrow’s established popularity) made him the ideal choice for a character like Callum Lynch, who is torn between his modern-day self and his ancient Assassin ancestor.

A Missed Opportunity by Ubisoft

Ubisoft’s failure to recognize Amell’s immense potential as the lead role in Assassin’s Creed represents a huge missed opportunity. The film’s underperformance is not the direct result of this oversight, but it certainly played its part.

It’s not like the casting of Michael Fassbender wasn’t well-intentioned, but the studio should have known there was a better choice for the role, and a miscast has the potential to ruin a movie. And it showed, as the movie didn’t resonate greatly with audiences.

The character of Callum, like many of the protagonists in the games, is a complex figure, who is grappling with a dark past and an uncertain future. The story calls for an actor who can handle physical action sequences while also diving deep into the emotional and psychological struggles of the character.

Amell was more than capable of pulling this off as he has already shown that he could tackle stories that blended historical themes, personal turmoil, and high-stakes action with Arrow. Had Ubisoft capitalized on his star power, it could have done justice to the character and given the film a fair chance at the box office.

In the end, we can only sit and speculate what could have been. However, the choices made during the development of the film, coupled with a muddled script and inconsistent direction, led to the film’s failure to live up to expectations.