Netflix To Develop ‘Assassin’s Creed’ TV Series

Maybe it will work out better this time.
Netflix and Ubisoft announced Tuesday a deal for the streamer to develop live action and animated series based on the Assassin’s Creed video game series. “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,” Jason Altman, Head of Ubisoft Film & Television – Los Angeles, said in a statement.
“We’re excited to partner with Ubisoft and bring to life the rich, multilayered storytelling that Assassin’s Creed is beloved for,” added Peter Friedlander, Vice President, Original Series, Netflix.
Of course, moving into the live action space has not been easy for Ubisoft. The 2016 Assassin’s Creed feature film — which stared Micheal Fassbender as a modern criminal and his 15th Century Spanish Assassin ancestor — did not go over well with critics or audiences. Despite the excitement of the video game series, the movie was surprising dull. Granted, that it is often the trouble with video game adaptations; just look at the well produced, yet dry Tomb Raider from 2018.
The film is, oddly enough, referenced in the most recent Assassin’s Creed games, in which modern-day protagonist Layla Hassan (Chantal Riley) is said to be a friend of film character Sofia Rikkin (Marion Cotillard); although, nothing became of that association as the movie underperformed. It will be interesting to see if another attempt at interconnectivity between the television series and the games will be made.
Curiously, the Netflix announcement refers to an anime adaptation separately from an animated project, which suggests something may already be in the pipe from one of Netflix’s partners in that space.
As with all recent project announcements, it is unclear how quickly the Assassin’s Creed series will emerge.