Netflix greenlights Assassin's Creed TV show, five years after Ubisoft partnership

Back in 2017, Assassin's Creed's head of content hinted that a TV show based on the popular franchise is in development at Netflix. However, it wasn't until much later that an official partnership was announced between the two firms in an aim to bring live-action and animated Assassin's Creed adaptations to Netflix. In the past five years, we haven't really heard a whisper about this joint initiative, but now, the streaming giant has announced that it has finally greenlit a series.

In a blog post, Netflix has revealed that it has tapped Roberto Patino (Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) and David Wiener (Halo, The Killing) as the showrunners, creators, and executive producers for the upcoming Assassin's Creed TV series adaptation. Both the showrunners have described themselves as fans of the game and have emphasized the importance of human connections in the world of the game, spanning "across cultures, across time".

Not much else is known about the project just yet, but it is being touted as a "high-octane thriller" that will feature the secret war between the assassins and the templars. The series will feature significant historical events as the two factions battle each other to shape the destiny of humanity. Both Ubisoft and Netflix have placed a lot of emphasis on the show's ability to honor the legacy of Assassin's Creed for longtime fans, while also welcoming millions of potential new fans.

It is important to note that this is not the first live-action adaptation of Assassin's Creed. 2016 saw an original story set in the world of the game, starring Michael Fassbender. It reviewed fairly poorly among critics but did go on to make roughly $250 million worldwide on an estimated budget of $125 million. Likewise, this isn't Netflix' first foray into the world of game adaptations either. The streaming service currently hosts Castlevania, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Arcane. It's currently unknown when its next game-based content will air.