Assassin’s Creed Is the Next Franchise to Enter the Streaming Wars

Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed has been in development hell for a while now after Netflix initially greenlit the live-action series way back in 2020. However, those plans now appear to be moving forward after the streamer announced that it had “officially” greenlit the Assassin’s Creed series.

Showrunners Roberto Patino and David Wiener will be in charge of the series, with both coming from an experience that largely revolves around character-driven sci-fi action properties. Patino has previously worked on such TV series as Sons of Anarchy and Westworld, while Wiener has experience on the live-action Halo adaptation that was in development for Paramount+ as well as AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead.

In a joint statement, the showrunners went on to share their gratitude for the opportunity as well as their relationship with the games.

“We’ve been fans of Assassin’s Creed since it launched in 2007. Every day on this show, we are reminded of the scale of the world and the breadth of the story that this franchise is built upon,” the showrunners said in the joint statement. “At its heart, there’s a deeply human story. One that explores questions of identity, purpose, faith, and what connects us across the centuries.”

They also expanded on the type of series that they want Assassin’s Creed to become.

“This is a show that at its core celebrates human connection across time, across cultures, and the cost of what we stand to lose if we lose that connection,” they continued. “We have an incredible team at Ubisoft and tremendous support from Netflix. We are excited to bring something new to fans all over the world.”

A Brief History of Assassin’s Creed

Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed first launched back in 2007 as a historical action-adventure stealth series. It was an entirely new take on the concept of a “stealth game” that focused on blending in with crowds and using non-lethal methods to incapacitate enemies. The idea of “social stealth” (so stealth in busy areas) was a unique one at the time, and Assassin’s Creed’s isometric perspective and large open worlds allowed the series to shine.

The original game took place during the time of the Crusades in the Holy Land, but when the next Assassin’s Creed series entry came around, Ubisoft shifted to the Italian Renaissance. Assassin’s Creed II and its two sequels, Brotherhood and Revelation, are what brought the Assassin’s Creed franchise to the level of respect that it had in the industry up to that point. Each title featured the same character, Ezio Auditore, and all received incredible reviews.

As of 2023, there have been 14 Assassin’s Creed titles over the past 18 years. While a few of them have been launched and quickly buried with no fanfare (mostly spin-offs and remakes), most have fared much better. From the historical Assassins to the space-faring ones in Odyssey and Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed has offered something for everyone. From Revolutionary America to the Arabian Sea in the 1700s, the series has managed to bring to life numerous eras and cultures in rich detail. Odyssey and Valhalla were early hits in a new direction for the franchise: a full-blown open-world RPG. While each of them does have the original stealth, they added an even more expansive world that improved on Odyssey’s structure.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is the newest entry into the series, released in October 2023. Ubisoft has shifted gears to feudal Japan for this latest iteration, a fan-requested era for an Assassin’s Creed title for years. This Assassin’s Creed was well received, which is a strong possibility that Ubisoft saw in the reviews about how Ubisoft was originally rushing the game but then delayed it, allowing more time to make it shine. Fans will be hoping that Netflix will do the same to make this TV series shine as well.

Details on the Netflix Series Are Limited

One of the first things to note is that Assassin’s Creed, the TV series, is most likely not going to be a direct adaptation of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. Ubisoft frequently has several games in development at any given time, but this does not mean that the source material for the TV series will be readily known. It will likely follow the standard premise known to Assassin’s Creed fans (teens with genetic memories of their ancestors trapped in an animus trying to live their life while simultaneously part of the battle between the Assassins and Templars), but it is impossible to know if Netflix will take that at face value or go in another direction entirely. That said, there will almost certainly be some tie-in to the latest video game series entry.

What is known is that it was reported as early as last week that this would be the case. Even if Assassin’s Creed does not go after the modern-day part of Assassin’s Creed directly, Assassin’s Creed is at its core an RPG about replaying the lives of our ancestors, so a direct tie-in is not out of the question either. A lot more details will have to come before such questions will be answered.

No casting or episode order has been announced so far, but the fact that a full official greenlight has been given is a step in the right direction. Netflix’s plans have so far come to fruition with no sign of cancellations yet, and while Assassin’s Creed, the video game series, has been around for 18 years, there is an appetite for the series as people are more open to video game adaptations now than ever before.

HBO’s The Last of Us was a smash hit, which means that Netflix could be willing to put the same kind of quality into its adaptation as well. The upcoming live-action series for The Last of Us may be of a similar quality to Assassin’s Creed; it is simply up to Netflix and the showrunners to maintain a certain level of quality as a high fantasy live-action television series.

Assassin’s Creed Is an Underrated Series

As much as some critics were rather lukewarm towards Assassin’s Creed (which saw Michael Fassbender leading as the live-action character), this is a series that has great potential to go in many different directions if given the opportunity. Fans were hoping that the 2016 movie would spark the same level of interest in live-action adaptation as The Last of Us, but Assassin’s Creed, the feature film, was more or less met with silence after its initial release.

Instead, fans will be hoping that Assassin’s Creed, the TV series, will be a beacon of hope for the Assassin’s Creed series. Ubisoft is starting to diversify in many different areas, with games spanning all types of genres, such as the recent Ghost Recon: Sniper Strike. This is also a chance for Netflix to show off Assassin’s Creed on the streaming service by making a good-quality TV series. It could easily be one of the best Netflix series of 2024 if given the proper chance to show off as a great sci-fi/fantasy series with a focus on historical representation (which it certainly can do and will likely do if handled right).

As many have pointed out before, Assassin’s Creed and its video game series can tell many different types of stories that other video games have not. The use of “animus” as a basis to relive our ancestors’ lives gives a whole new dimension to the video game experience. It is something that will most likely not be shown in the upcoming live-action television series in the early going, but could come in time as the show takes shape. It is still unknown if this live-action series is a direct continuation of the events of Assassin’s Creed, the movie, but that is almost a moot point, as that movie has essentially been forgotten by almost everyone.

Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed TV series is getting more airtime as of late, but until further notice, the world of Assassins and Templars may be open for business for Assassin’s Creed. All signs point to Netflix trying to get Assassin’s Creed to work and be as entertaining as possible. With a new take on the story and more care and attention given to the series, we may just see the true potential of what could be the Netflix series of the year if given the chance.