In the labyrinthine alleys of Renaissance Florence, where the scent of leather tanneries mingles with the chime of cathedral bells and the whispers of hidden blades, Netflix is poised to breathe life into one of gaming’s most iconic eras. The highly anticipated live-action Assassin’s Creed series, a sprawling adaptation of Ubisoft’s blockbuster franchise, has officially greenlit Italy as its primary filming location—a poetic homecoming to the homeland of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the charismatic assassin whose trilogy (Assassin’s Creed II, Brotherhood, and Revelations) remains the gold standard of the series. Announced via a joint statement from Netflix and Ubisoft on November 15, 2025, production kicks off in early 2026 across iconic Tuscan hill towns, Venetian canals, and Rome’s ancient forums, transforming the Bel Paese into a living canvas of leaping faith, eagle-eyed parkour, and shadowy Templar intrigue. With British-Australian actor Toby Wallace (Euphoria, The Bikeriders) stepping into the spotlight as the series’ co-lead, the show—helmed by showrunners Roberto Patino (The Midnight Club) and David Wiener (Homecoming)—vows to honor the franchise’s roots while forging a fresh narrative in the heart of the Italian Renaissance. Fans, long starved for a faithful adaptation after years of stalled Hollywood movie attempts, are erupting in euphoria: “Ezio’s Italy on screen? Leap of faith achieved,” one viral tweet proclaimed, encapsulating the seismic excitement rippling through the 200-million-strong global Assassin’s Creed community.

The decision to anchor filming in Italy isn’t mere logistics—it’s a love letter to the franchise’s soul. Ezio Auditore, introduced in 2009’s Assassin’s Creed II, isn’t just an assassin; he’s a legend, a Florentine noble reborn as a vengeful vigilante after his family’s brutal execution by Templar conspirators. Voiced by Roger Craig Smith in the games, Ezio’s saga spans three masterpieces: from the opulent villas of Tuscany in ACII to the plague-ridden streets of Rome in Brotherhood, culminating in Constantinople’s Byzantine bazaars in Revelations. Italy’s Renaissance backdrop—da Vinci’s flying machines, the Borgia family’s papal poisonings, the Medici’s mercantile machinations—provided the perfect playground for the series’ blend of historical fidelity and fantastical flair. Netflix’s choice evokes that golden age: principal photography slated for Florence’s Duomo-shadowed piazzas, Venice’s labyrinthine lagoons (standing in for canal chases), and the Colosseum’s crumbling arches for gladiatorial gauntlets. “Italy is Ezio’s beating heart,” Patino enthused in a Variety exclusive. “Filming on location immerses us in the textures—the leather of hidden blades, the echo of freerunning footsteps on cobblestones—that made his story timeless.” Tax incentives from Italy’s Puglia Film Commission sweeten the deal, subsidizing 30% of the $120 million budget, while Ubisoft’s historical consultants ensure authenticity down to the Hidden Blade’s Valyrian steel gleam.

Wallace’s casting as the co-lead—a yet-unnamed young assassin entangled in Ezio-era intrigues—marks the series’ first major reveal, announced November 20 alongside Italy’s location lock-in. The 28-year-old Aussie, whose brooding intensity lit up HBO’s Euphoria Season 3 as troubled teen Nate Jacobs’ foil and revved engines in Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders, brings a raw edge to the Brotherhood’s clandestine world. Sources close to production whisper his character as “Luca,” a street urchin from the Venetian underbelly who stumbles into the Assassins’ fold, his arc intersecting with Auditore lore through a Templar artifact hunt. “Toby’s got that haunted hunger—perfect for a Renaissance rogue,” Wiener told Deadline, hinting at parallels to Ezio’s own transformation from pampered patrician to parkour phantom. While no confirmation on an Ezio cameo (fan-favorite cosplay king Andrew Lincoln rumored), the Italy setting fuels speculation: flashbacks to Auditore’s heyday, perhaps with a grizzled veteran mentor voiced by Roger Craig Smith. Opposite Wallace: a yet-unrevealed female lead, with whispers of Italian breakout Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing) as a cunning courtesan-spy. Exec producers Gerard Guillemot (Ubisoft CEO) and Margaret Zhang oversee fidelity, ensuring the Apple of Eden’s glow and Animus dives dazzle without diluting the daggerplay.

Production’s Italian odyssey, slated for six months starting February 2026, transforms Tuscany’s medieval masterpieces into Templar strongholds: Montepulciano’s Palazzo Comunale as a Medici masque gone murderous, Siena’s Piazza del Campo for a brutal hay cart chase, and Matera’s Sassi cave dwellings (a James Bond: No Time to Die vet) for subterranean Assassin sanctums. Venice’s Grand Canal will host gondola gondola pursuits, while Rome’s Forum Romanum stands in for the Vatican vaults where Borgia blades clash. Practical effects reign: Hidden Blades forged by Italian bladesmiths, freerunning choreographed by parkour pros from District B13, and horseback havoc helmed by The Revenant‘s stunt coordinator. VFX from Italy’s own Visual Effects Society powerhouses like Mikros MPC will conjure eagle dives and Apple-induced visions, blending John Wick‘s balletic brutality with The Matrix‘s metaphysical mind-bends. “We’re shooting 70% on location—no green screens stealing the soul,” Sapochnik (unconfirmed director tease) vowed, echoing his Game of Thrones grit. Challenges loom: Italy’s permitting labyrinth (Colosseum shoots require papal nods), weather whims (Tuscan rains could soggy sieges), and labor laws capping 12-hour days—necessitating a 200-strong local crew blending Milanese maestros with Florentine freelancers.

The Italy pivot isn’t nostalgia—it’s narrative necessity, positioning the series as a Renaissance reboot that honors Ezio while expanding the lore. Unlike the shelved 2016 Fassbender film (Assassin’s Creed, a $125 million misfire grossing $240 million on Universal), Netflix’s vision—eight episodes, 45-60 minutes each—dives deeper into the eternal Assassin-Templar war. Patino and Wiener, with Ubisoft’s lore lords scripting consultations, craft a tale where Luca uncovers a Templar plot to seize Florence’s duomo dome for a Piece of Eden, his path crossing Auditore allies in a web of Vatican vaults, Venetian vendettas, and Milanese machinations. Flashbacks flesh Ezio’s shadow: a grizzled master recounting the Apple of Eden’s theft from Borgia clutches, his creed “Nothing is true, everything is permitted” a mantra amid moral mazes. Modern-day framing? Subtle Animus glimpses tie to Basim’s Valhalla saga, hinting multiversal mischief without overshadowing the 1500s splendor. “Ezio’s Italy is the franchise’s pinnacle—visually volcanic, thematically timeless,” Guillemot beamed at a Milan presser, teasing “parkour you’ll feel in your quads.”

Fan frenzy has reached fever pitch since the November 15 reveal, with #AssassinsCreedNetflix surging to 5 million posts on X, cosplay conventions in Rome swelling 40%, and petitions for an Ezio lead (500K signatures) flooding Change.org. “Italy? Ezio confirmed—leap of faith loading,” one viral TikTok rejoiced, remixing ACII‘s “Ezio’s Family” theme with Italian sunset drone shots. Skeptics, scarred by the Fassbender flop’s “wire-fu woes,” temper hype: “If they nail the freerunning and lore, it’s gold—else, Hidden Blade in the heart.” Ubisoft, riding Shadows‘ 2025 launch buzz, bundles game tie-ins: a Renaissance DLC for Valhalla, Ezio outfits in Mirage. Netflix’s gamble—$150 million budget, per Puck—pays dividends: early script leaks praise “John Wick meets Da Vinci Code,” positioning it as Arcane‘s live-action heir.

As cranes hoist Hidden Blade scaffolds over Florence’s Ponte Vecchio, Assassin’s Creed‘s Italian inception beckons a renaissance of its own. Wallace’s Luca leaps from obscurity to icon? Patino’s plot a parkour pinnacle? In Ezio’s eternal words, “Requiescat in pace” to doubts—the Creed calls, and Italy answers. Production rolls; the Brotherhood rises. Assassins, assemble.