Four years after the initial announcement that Netflix was developing a live-action Assassin's Creed series, the streamer has revealed that they've given the project the green light.
Emmy nominees Roberto Patino (DMZ, Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) and David Wiener (Halo, Homecoming, The Killing) have been set as co-showrunners and executive producers.
The synopsis for the series states that 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."
In a press release, Margaret Boykin, executive producer and head of content at Ubisoft Film & Television, remarked, "We are so excited to work alongside Roberto, David, and our Netflix partners to bring this beloved franchise to series. We look forward to delivering an experience that speaks to the heart of what fans love about Assassin's Creed, while introducing its unforgettable worlds and timeless themes to new audiences worldwide."
In a joint statement, Patino and Wiener revealed what their vision for the show entails.
"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. 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. "
Per What's On Netflix, the show is speculated to be set in Ancient Rome.
However, the site cautions that Ezio won't be the focal point, as their sources say the Netflix adaptation will consist of original characters.
The Assassin’s Creed series follows the age-old conflict between two secretive groups: the Assassins, who fight for freedom, and the Templars, who seek control and order.
The Ubisoft action-adventure games take players through rich, historical settings as modern-day characters use a device called the Animus to explore the memories of their ancestors. These journeys are often tied to the search for ancient, powerful artifacts that could shape or alter the future.
With the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the franchise now includes a total of fourteen main titles. Each entry explores a different time period and location, expanding the series’ ongoing narrative and deepening the long-running conflict between Assassins and Templars.
To date, only one major (critically maligned) live-action Assassin’s Creed project has been released, a Michael Fassbender-led adaptation which hit theaters in 2016. While no additional live-action movies have followed, the franchise has expanded its universe through several animated shorts and series, which explore side stories and deepen the overall lore beyond the main games.