Assassin’s Creed movie compared to Batman Begins, Blade Runner in new interview
Video game adaptations don’t have the best track record in Hollywood, and for good reason, which is why when Ubisoft decided to begin adapting their properties, they wanted to maintain some control and develop the projects in house. The first of these films that will see the light of day is none other than the Assassin’s Creed movie, which is currently in production. Speaking with Premiere Magazine (via /Film), the CEO of Ubisoft Motion Pictures, Jean-Julien Baronnet, spoke about the development process of the film and revealed their cinematic inspiration.
“[Michael Fassbender] accepted very quickly. And it was the only actor which we thought was obvious. So we started with the actor, which is incongruous. Even more incongruous, he engaged us with nothing. There was no script, no studio or anything. We told him we were going to build the project together, we have a huge brand and we want to make a make a film with references to feature films like Batman Begins and Blade Runner. That is why we tend to. He was promised that he could work with the writers, we would associate it with all key creative choices.”
“Our approach is to remain in control of the development, so to finance it 100%. We choose writers who are not necessarily stars but people who have understood the universe. And as long as the script is not level, it will not launch. It has also worked very closely with New Regency for Assassin’s Creed. We needed them for their expertise. There was a kind of triptych between the actor, the studio and us. It is the combination of the three who built this scenario. With arbitration returning us as we fund. The beauty of being a small structure is that no contingencies that lead us to release films in greenlighter quickly. It leaves time to time to arrive at what it takes. Four years of development for Assassin!”
Assassin’s Creed stars Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Days of Future Past, 12 Years a Slave) and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, La Vie en Rose), Jeremy Irons (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Brendan Gleeson (Edge of Tomorrow, Calvary) and Michael Kenneth Williams (“The Wire,” “Boardwalk Empire”). The film is directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth) and will open in theaters worldwide on December 21st, 2016.
Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.
Principal photography on the Assassin’s Creed movie is currently taking place in Malta, London, and Spain.
