Netflix’s live-action “Assassin’s Creed” series will be an original story set in Rome in 64 AD, the streamer revealed on Friday. The high-profile series, directed by Johan Lenck (Chernobyl), has begun filming at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, with additional returning cast members revealed.
New members of the ensemble cast for the video game version include Lewis McCartney, who starred in the Stranger Things stage version of The First Shadow, Mirren Mack (The Nest, The Witcher: Blood Origins), Youssef Kerkur (Knights of the Seven Kingdoms), and Sandra Guldberg-Kampf (Foundation).
The previously announced cast of the show includes Laura Petticrew, Toby Wallace, Zachary Hart, Laura Marcus, Tanzin Crawford, Nabhan Rizwan, Claes Bang, Noomi Rapace, Ramsey Bedia, Sean Harris, and Corrado Invernizzi.
The Assassin’s Creed game series has previously been set in several historically accurate locations, including ancient Egypt, Greece, Renaissance Italy, feudal Japan, and revolutionary France, but not ancient Rome.
The year 64 AD is known for the Great Fire of Rome. The conflagration began near the city’s Circus Maximus chariot stadium and raged for several days while Emperor Nero was away at the coastal resort of Antium, giving rise to the saying, “While Rome burned, Nero was tinkering.” Nero was widely blamed for the disaster, with his accusers claiming that the emperor set the fire in order to bypass the Senate and rebuild Rome to his liking, but modern historians believe the fire was accidental.
The Netflix Assassin’s Creed series will be based at Cinecittà Studios and filmed entirely in Italy. Filming is scheduled to begin on March 9th and run for seven months, ending on October 16th, with a potential release date on Netflix in 2027. The show will be filmed in Cinecittà’s vast ancient Roman backlot, which includes a replica of the Roman Forum, as well as in Rome’s Lazio region and Tuscany.
The video game has sold over 230 million copies worldwide since its release in 2007, making it one of the best-selling titles in history. The 14-part series explores the war between the rival secret orders of the Assassins and the Templars. They use advanced machines to access the Assassins’ genetic memories from different times in the past and track down a powerful artifact called the Piece of Eden.
The show logline for Assassin’s Creed states that the series “centers on a secret war between two shadowy forces, one seeking to determine humanity’s future through control and manipulation, while the other fights to preserve free will. The series follows characters as they fight to shape humanity’s destiny as they navigate key historical events.”
As previously announced, Westworld writer Roberto Patino and Homecoming creator David Weiner will serve as show creator, showrunner and executive producer for Assassin’s Creed. Ubisoft Film & Television’s Gerard Guillemot, Margaret Boykin, Austin Dill and Genevieve Jones will serve as executive producers, with Matt O’Toole also serving as executive producer.
The show’s ace costume designer is Italy’s Carlo Poggioli (The Leopard, The New Pope). The Italian line producer is Nicola Lozada, who has already collaborated with Netflix on the Italian filming of “The Decameron,” “Emily in Paris,” and “La Dolce Villa.” The Assassin’s Creed series will benefit from an Italian tax rebate that provides up to 40% of eligible production costs.
“We are honored that Netflix has chosen our studio and set to create such an epic and ambitious series that is highly anticipated around the world,” Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Cinecittà Studios, said in a statement. “This is a testament to the credibility and reputation that Cinecittà enjoys internationally and to the professional guarantee we provide for all types of productions of all genres and scales.”
Mr. Cacciamani added: “But I am even more honored by the trust placed in our skilled workforce and the art department, who are collaborating to create truly spectacular sets. Together with the masters, Cinecittà confirms that artistic excellence is recognized and a source of pride for our country.”
