Whatever Happened to Netflix's Live-Action Adaptation of Assassin's Creed?
What, you didn't know there was one in the works? That's the problem.
Summary:
- A brand-new live-action TV show based on the iconic game Assassin's Creed was announced by Netflix and Ubisoft in 2020
- In January 2023, the show lost its showrunner, Jeb Stuart
- Currently, the project is most likely stuck in production limbo.
Adapting iconic videogames is a tough challenge, but HBO's most recent daring endeavour with The Last of Us has proved that this challenge can be accepted with grace.
However, one good videogame adaptation doesn't mean others will follow suit; in fact, for some particular adaptations, it takes time to even officially take part in the competition by, well, starting to exist.
That's exactly what's happening with the long-anticipated Netflix live-action adaptation of Assassin's Creed — an iconic Ubisoft game that follows masterful killers in the shadows of their fight against templars.
When Was Netflix's Assassin's Creed Announced?
It's been three years with little to no information from Netflix about the Assassin's Creed show which it announced back in October 2020. On its way to the screens, the series has already managed to lose its showrunner in January 2023 and, apparently, get stuck in production limbo — not least due to the ongoing strikes.
Netflix's assassin endeavour was initially planned to be spearheaded by Jeb Stuart — the man behind Vikings and Die Hard, of all things. However, things didn't work out. In an interview with Collider, Stuart explained exactly what went wrong.
"I think it was a little bit of a move of executives from LA to London, and it allowed the London group who, unfortunately, had to inherit my vision of what it was instead of getting to develop their own vision," the showrunner said.
Stuart also added he believes the show will be "great whenever it comes out." The billion dollar question now is, when exactly will it come out?
Does Assassin's Creed Live-Action Have a Release Date?
Not only does it not have any release window (let alone the exact date), Assassin's Creed doesn't even have any casting or crew information yet. The fandom is starting to suspect the show might not see the light of day at all; at least not anytime soon.
Back in 2022 (when the show still had a showrunner) Ubisoft confirmed Assassin's Creed live-action was still early in the works, promising it will be "epic" — but falling short of providing any meaningful details about the plot or at least the setting.
Assassin's Creed has plenty of options when it comes to settings — the story began with Altair in the crusade times, truly blossomed with iconic Ezio Auditore in Renaissance Italy, and then went on to various places — from Victorian London to pirate ships led by Edward Kenway.
Whether any of these stories will be adapted or the live-action decides to go for something completely original remains unclear.
Well, the good news that no one has officially "killed" the project yet, which means there's still hope. However, it doesn't help that The Last of Us adaptation was also announced in 2020, but in 2023, we are already expecting a second season.
Let's put it like this: if it takes this much time for the TV series to not be anything like that 2016 movie was, then we're ready to wait.
Source: Collider