The hidden blade is being sharpened once more, and this time, it’s in the hands of a visionary. Netflix’s highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Assassin’s Creed has taken a monumental step forward with the announcement that Johan Renck, the acclaimed Swedish filmmaker celebrated for his work on Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and the Emmy-winning Chernobyl, will direct the series. With his gritty visual style and proven mastery of intense, character-driven narratives, Renck’s involvement signals a bold, darker, and more cinematic take on the beloved video game franchise that has captivated millions since its debut in 2007. As fans eagerly await this ambitious leap from console to screen, the promise of a prestige drama that honors the Assassin’s Creed universe while forging new paths has set expectations soaring.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise, born from Ubisoft’s creative crucible, has enthralled players for nearly two decades with its intricate blend of historical adventure, time-traveling sci-fi, and moral complexity. Centered on the eternal conflict between the Assassins, who champion free will, and the Templars, who seek control through manipulation, the series spans eras from the Crusades to feudal Japan, with 2025’s Assassin’s Creed: Shadows marking its latest triumph. With over 230 million copies sold across 14 mainline games, the saga’s rich lore—woven through the Animus device that lets modern characters relive ancestral memories—offers a treasure trove for adaptation. A 2016 film starring Michael Fassbender, while visually striking, faltered with critics and fans for its rushed pacing and muddled storytelling. Netflix’s series, first announced in 2020 under a landmark deal with Ubisoft, aims to right those wrongs, leveraging the serialized format to explore the franchise’s depth.
Renck’s appointment as director is a game-changer, bringing a pedigree that aligns perfectly with the series’ potential. Known for crafting atmospheric, character-centric stories, he has left an indelible mark on television. His work on Breaking Bad—directing pivotal episodes that showcased Walter White’s descent—demonstrated his ability to balance moral ambiguity with visceral tension. Similarly, his contributions to The Walking Dead infused early seasons with a raw, human edge, grounding the zombie apocalypse in personal stakes. His crowning achievement, Chernobyl, earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Directing, proving his skill in transforming historical weight into gripping, emotionally resonant drama. Renck’s prior collaborations with Netflix, including the moody sci-fi film Spaceman starring Adam Sandler and episodes of the 2015 thriller Bloodline, further cement his versatility and familiarity with the platform’s ambitious scope.
The series’ logline hints at a narrative true to the franchise’s core: a high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions—one bent on shaping humanity’s future through control, the other fighting to preserve free will. While plot details remain closely guarded, the show is expected to weave historical and modern timelines, a hallmark of the games where players leap between past eras and present-day conspiracies via the Animus. Showrunners Roberto Patino (DMZ, Westworld) and David Wiener (Halo, The Killing), both seasoned in crafting complex, genre-driven stories, lead the creative charge, with Ubisoft’s involvement ensuring fidelity to the source material. Their joint vision, as shared in statements, emphasizes human stories of identity, destiny, and faith beneath the spectacle of parkour and hidden blades, promising a narrative that resonates with both longtime fans and newcomers.
Casting announcements have already sparked excitement, with Toby Wallace (Euphoria) and Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing) set as leads, joined by regulars Zachary Hart (Slow Horses) and Laura Marcus (Death by Lightning). While their roles remain undisclosed, speculation abounds about whether they’ll portray modern Animus users, historical Assassins, or Templar adversaries. The diverse, rising talent suggests a fresh perspective, avoiding the star-heavy approach of the 2016 film in favor of actors who can fully inhabit the franchise’s layered characters. Production is slated to begin in Italy in 2026, with locations likely evoking the rich historical settings—Renaissance cities, ancient battlegrounds—that define the series’ aesthetic.
Renck’s gritty visual style is a perfect match for Assassin’s Creed’s blend of elegance and brutality. His work on Chernobyl showcased a knack for stark, immersive atmospheres—think desolate reactor rooms or tense bureaucratic standoffs—that could translate seamlessly to the franchise’s shadowy alleys, opulent courts, and high-stakes rooftop chases. Fans of the games know the importance of environment: every leap from a cathedral spire or stealthy infiltration feels alive with historical texture. Renck’s ability to make settings feel tactile and lived-in promises to ground the series’ fantastical elements, from Animus glitches to supernatural artifacts like the Apples of Eden, in a cinematic realism that avoids the cartoonish pitfalls of lesser adaptations.
Moreover, his experience with character-driven stories bodes well for capturing the moral complexity at the heart of Assassin’s Creed. The games aren’t just about flashy assassinations; they explore free will versus determinism, loyalty versus betrayal, and the cost of power. Renck’s knack for humanizing flawed protagonists—whether Heisenberg’s tragic spiral or Chernobyl’s haunted scientists—could elevate characters like a conflicted Assassin or a cunning Templar, making their ideological clashes feel personal and urgent. His darker, more introspective approach might lean into the series’ bleaker themes, such as the cyclical nature of violence or the sacrifices demanded by the Creed’s mantra: “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.”
This direction suggests a departure from the action-heavy, sometimes glossy tone of the 2016 film, aiming instead for the prestige-drama gravitas of HBO’s The Last of Us, another video game adaptation that succeeded by prioritizing character and atmosphere. Renck’s involvement hints at a series that respects the franchise’s parkour-fueled thrills—expect breathtaking sequences of free-running and combat—but frames them within a narrative that probes deeper questions about control, freedom, and legacy. The choice of Italy as a filming hub evokes the Renaissance backdrop of Assassin’s Creed II, one of the most beloved entries, raising hopes for a story that balances historical grandeur with modern intrigue.
As anticipation builds, fans are buzzing with theories about which eras the series might explore. Will it revisit fan-favorite settings like Renaissance Italy or the American Revolution, or chart new historical ground? Could it delve into the modern-day arcs, where the Animus reveals connections across centuries? The secrecy surrounding the plot only fuels excitement, with Renck’s track record assuring viewers that the series won’t shy away from bold, even unsettling choices.
Assassin’s Creed on Netflix is shaping up to be more than a video game adaptation—it’s a cinematic reimagining that aims to honor the franchise’s legacy while carving a distinct identity. With Renck at the helm, backed by a talented cast and creative team, the series promises to deliver the heart-pounding action and philosophical depth that have made the games a cultural juggernaut. As production looms, the wait feels both torturous and thrilling, a leap of faith into a darker, more immersive Creed. Dearest reader, ready your hidden blade—the war between Assassins and Templars is about to ignite the small screen like never before.
