Ubisoft have turned to Netflix as a partner for a new live-action Assassin’s Creed series, hoping to make the jump out of the bubble of video games somewhat more successfully than their last attempt.
It’s actually multiple projects, though, with the main live-action show to be joined by an animated and an anime adaptation. They’re looking for some showrunners to manage these, but Ubisoft Film & Television’s Jason Altman and Danielle Kreinik will be executive producers.
“For more than 10 years, millions of fans around the world have helped shape the Assassin’s Creed brand into an iconic franchise,” said 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.”
As alluded to, this hasn’t been Ubisoft’s first attempt at branching out from video games. There was the Assassin’s Creed movie which came out in 2016, starring Michael Fassbender in an original story designed to compliment and expand the series’ mythology.
It didn’t exactly set the box office alight, underperforming at its opening and only grossing $240 million worldwide off a $125 million budget to turn a small profit. It also didn’t capture the imaginations of reviewers, getting an 18% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 3.9/10. It might be better than many video game adaptations, but not exactly a smash.
Here’s hoping Netflix can do better.
Source: Ubisoft