We recently got word that Netflix is moving forward with a streaming adaptation of Ubisoft’s massively successful video game series, Assassin's Creed, with Westworld‘s Roberto Patino and The Killing‘s David Wiener on board as showrunners. Now, we have our first bit of casting news.
According to the trades (and since confirmed by Netflix), Toby Wallace (Euphoria, The Bikeriders) has joined the cast. Character details are still under wraps, but he is said to be playing the co-lead.
This could be any number of protagonists from the various Assassin's Creed games, or a new character created for this series.
An official logline reads: "A high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions — one set on determining mankind’s future through control and manipulation, while the other fights to preserve free will. The series follows its characters — said to be different from the games — across pivotal historical events as they battle to shape humanity’s destiny."
“We’ve been fans of Assassin’s Creed since its release in 2007. Every day we work on this show, we come away excited and humbled by the possibilities that Assassin’s Creed opens to us,” Wiener and Patino said in a joint statement. “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."
"For more than 10 years, millions of fans around the world have helped shape the Assassin’s Creed brand into an iconic franchise," said Altman, who is head of Ubisoft Film and Television Los Angeles, back when the project was first announced back in 2020. “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."
"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, vp originals at Netflix. “From its breathtaking historical worlds and massive global appeal as one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, we are committed to carefully crafting epic and thrilling entertainment based on this distinct IP and provide a deeper dive for fans and our members around the world to enjoy."
Assassin's Creed launched back in 2007, and has since gone on to become one of the best-selling video game series in history, with over 155 million units sold worldwide. The property was previously adapted for the big screen in 2016, but the Michael Fassbender-led movie was not very well received.
What do you guys make of this news? Is Netflix the right home for an Assassin's Creed adaptation? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments.