The Assassin’s Creed franchise is one of the most popular in video games, so it makes sense that this is one of those games that production companies are considering for possible adaptation. An attempt to turn the games into a movie franchise has failed, but Netflix is trying to take another shot with an unrelated Assassin’s Creed series. But if you’re wondering why we’ve heard so little about the series, it’s because it’s apparently lost its showrunner.
Jeb Stewart, the “Die Hard” screenwriter and producer of Vikings: Valhalla was supposed to write the script for the new Assassin’s Creed series and act as a showrunner, and as recently as last September, Stewart was apparently still on board. However, in a recent interview with Collider, Stewart announced that he is no longer involved in the series. He explained…
I think it was a small move of the executives from Los Angeles to London, and it allowed the London group, which unfortunately had to inherit my vision of what it was, instead of developing their own vision. So I think it’s fair. I know that whenever he comes out, it will be great. I think the guys from Ubisoft are just fantastic. I think it’s an amazing franchise. It was just a good, mutual time to move on for both sides.
Back in October 2020, it was first announced that Netflix was collaborating with game publisher Ubisoft to create a new series based on Assassin’s Creed. The game follows a set of different characters who are part of a centuries-old battle between the Order of Assassins and the Knights Templar. The franchise also includes an element of science fiction, as the stories are usually told by modern characters experiencing the “genetic memory” of characters from the past.
More than two years later, the series was still being described as being in “early” development even last fall, and now everything seems to have taken another step back. Any work that Jeb Stewart has already done is apparently either completely discarded or significantly recycled, as new people are now hosting the show.
Having said that, Jeb Stewart says he believes the show will still be great, although he clearly doesn’t expect the show to come out anytime soon. However, this is clearly a very active project, so it is likely that the show will still take place, even if we wait at least another couple of years to see it.
Assassin’s Creed fans will almost certainly want to wait, especially if it means the new show is worth it. The film starring Michael Fassbender failed to interest any audience, including loyal fans, so there are high hopes that Netflix will sort this out.
