Next year Ubisoft’s massively successful historical sci-fi adventure game series Assassin’s Creed is making the brave leap from consoles and PCs to the big screen, as Michael Fassbender plays dual roles in a new story based on the mythos of the games. Set partly in modern times and partly in Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, Assassin’s Creed tells the story of Callum Lynch (Fassbender), a man who uses a machine called the Animus to unlock his genetic memory and experience the life of his ancestor - an Assassin called Aguilar (also played by Fassbender).
The appeal of the Assassin’s Creed games lies in their sweeping historical vistas, fast-paced parkour traversal of environments, and stylish fighting moves that range from sneaky blades in the gut to all-out sword battles with multiple guards. All of these are things that could easily be translated well into a film, and now we have our first look at an official still from one of the historical portions of Assassin’s Creed.
Shared by Entertainment Weekly, the still shows Fassbender alongside his co-star, Ariane Labed (Before Midnight) laying on a rooftop, perhaps planning an assassination. We’ve had a look at Aguilar’s Assassin robes before, but this photo highlights the brighter colors and details in the clothing - along with the throwing knives (a staple of the games) at his shoulder. Both Fassbender and Labed are also sporting facial paint or tattoos. The look of the Assassin robes was developed by costume designer Sammy Sheldon Differ, whose previous credits include Ant-Man and Ex Machina.
Check out the image below:
Fassbender also spoke to EW from the set of Assassin’s Creed, which is currently filming on location in Spain. The actor explained that he had never played any of the games before being approached with the project, but once onboard he was a driving force behind Assassin’s Creed as both star and producer. The film sees him reuniting with Macbeth director Justin Kurzel and co-star Marion Cotillard. Making a successful video game movie has proved to be no easy feat, but Fassbender thinks the premise of Assassin’s Creed provides rich ground for storytelling.
While Fassbender intimates that the parkour and “close quarters fighting” from the games will also be featured in the film, he admits that he hasn’t suddenly become a parkour expert. “I’ve learned how to roly poly, tumble turn,” he joked, before adding: “Just basic fight choreography stuff. I did some horse stuff today.” We look forward to seeing Fassbender’s roly polies, tumble turns and horse stuff on the big screen just under a year from now.
“We’re striving to find something special. We believe the whole concept around it is special and want to service that the best we can. The fans are really passionate: very specific and they expect accuracy and historical detail. We’re really trying to capitalize and feed on and enjoy the fun element. We’re working hard to make this something special.”
Assassin’s Creed arrives in theaters on December 21st, 2016.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
