Michael Fassbender to star in and co-produce ASSASSINS CREED

**dmario** · 07-09-2012, 07:56 AM

WTF MAN??? we get Assassins Creed BEFORE a God of War???

Fassbender fastened to 'Assassins'
Thesp to star in, co-produce bigscreen adaptation of vidgame
By Marc Graser, Elsa Keslassy
Michael Fassbender will star in and co-produce "Assassin's Creed," the bigscreen adaptation of Ubisoft's videogame franchise, through his DMC Film.

While Fassbender's profile has risen with roles in "X-Men: First Class," "Shame," "Haywire," "Prometheus," and will next be seen in "The Counselor" and "Twelve Years a Slave," thesp also has spent the past year developing films with Conor McCaughan. Together, they produced the short "Pitch Black Heist."

"Assassin's Creed" is the duo's most high-profile project, given that the game is Ubisoft's biggest franchise, selling over 30 million units since 2007. A third "Assassin's Creed" game bows Oct. 30 and is set during the American Revolution. First two take place during the Crusades and Renaissance.

Plot revolves around a man who learns his ancestors were trained assassins after he is kidnapped by a secret org with ties to the Knights Templar, and sent back in time to retrieve historical artifacts.

"Michael Fassbender was our first choice" to play the franchise's iconic hooded hero, said Jean-Julien Baronnet, CEO of Paris-based Ubisoft Motion Pictures. "Michael (Fassbender) is an extremely smart, talented, versatile and committed actor."

Last fall, Ubisoft was in talks with Sony to develop a series of "Assassin's" pics (Daily Variety, Oct. 20, 2011). But the companies have since put negotiations on hold.

Ubisoft execs now plan to stick to their initial plan and develop the film independently in order to maintain greater creative control. Last year, Ubisoft invested in launching UMP, headed by Baronnet, former CEO of Luc Besson's EuropaCorp, to adapt the company's games into films, TV shows and digital projects.

While Sony could still wind up distribing the films, UMP will package the project with a writer and director before resuming talks with the studio.

"We're open to re-discuss with the key studios once the production package is finalized," Baronnet told Variety.

Ubisoft also is looking to raise financing for the tentpole through foreign presales and co-production deals, which again could again involve Sony.

"Whatever the financial model, UMP will limit its risk investment," and will save on production costs by turning to its 26 in-house game studios like Hybride Technologies, to handle visual effects work, Baronnet said.

Ubisoft sees adaptations as a way to turn its games into larger brands that will get the titles in front of more consumers while creating lucrative new revenue sources for the company. One of its first projects is an animated TV series based on the "Raving Rabbids" franchise that will air on Nickelodeon. Ubisoft chief Yves Guillemot also wants to develop films for the games "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell" and "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon."

By controlling more of the creative through UMP, Ubisoft hopes it doesn't wind up with another "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," adapted by Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer. Pic earned a disappointing $335 million worldwide, with just $91 million of that in the U.S. last year, ending any franchise dreams.

**Inkthinker** · 07-09-2012, 09:18 AM

Ubisoft's been pushing towards this for a while now, using the AC brand as a test bed. It's an interesting production plan, they'll be able to maintain creative control and they're almost certain to find a distributor once they have a finished (or near-finished) film in hand. It's also a testament to how much money they've got, that they can fund a feature film.

Though I think the most impressive (and most recent) thing I've seen from them would be their Ghost Recon short. That was pretty high-quality, and I think it was also produced in-house.

-EDIT-

And the reason we're probably seeing an AC film before a God of War is that Sony has an entire Film division that's separate from Video Games, and they probably bicker over bullshit. The videogame people know the property, the film people know movies, and they step all over each others' balls on a regular basis trying to make sure it's being done "right" while also making sure their slice of the budget pie is big enough (i.e. bigger than yours).

I'm guessing Ubi is either more tightly knit or just has a more control over their people, which means shit gets done, and it gets done to a singular vision. So long as that vision is sharp they'll be fine, but in time (and with success) it'll probably get bloated and slow like so much else in the larger industry.

**malachimanson** · 07-09-2012, 10:26 AM

This could be very successful. Right story team and budget it wouldn't even have to be expensive and still come out looking great. Hope for a budget under 100 million but with the right people behind it the movie could very well look like a 200 mill movie.

**Night Robin** · 07-09-2012, 11:50 AM

All the video game films have potential. They just usually cop out on weak casts and directors. Maybe this won't be the case.

**NickRocks** · 07-09-2012, 10:21 PM

I will watch anything Fassbender does, yes we in there

**50%grey** · 07-09-2012, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by NickRocks

I will watch anything Fassbender does, yes we in there

O yeah???

Jane Eyre starring Fassbender

**joekey** · 07-10-2012, 08:07 AM

Really hope this is well done, still waiting for movies adapted from video games to catch on like super hero flicks did.

**NickRocks** · 07-10-2012, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by 50%grey

O yeah???

Jane Eyre starring Fassbender

Have you see the movie where he plays freud?

**SHAMWOW!** · 11-10-2012, 09:18 AM

is fassbender going to be the Desmond'? or Altaïr ibn-La'Ahad, ,Ezio Auditore da Firenze,Connor Kenway. or worse fassbenders face will be the same as he is desmond and as altair/ezio/connor?