Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed videogame adaptation with Michael Fassbender moves forward

The popular videogame franchise ASSASSIN’S CREED has picked up financer’s and distributors with New Regency and Fox, respectively, which helps but the the adaptation on the fast track to the big screen.  Earlier this summer, Michael Fassbender inked a deal to star and co-produce the film and continues to maintain that status.  This is good news for fans of the game and for fans of action, time-travel, history, and general awesomeness.

“We wanted to do everything we could to secure the rights to ‘Assassin’s Creed,’ which Ubisoft has maintained with such care and quality over the years,” said New Regency president and CEO Brad Weston.

The story “revolves around a man who learns his ancestors were trained assassins after he is kidnapped by a secret org with ties to the Knights Templar and sent back in time to retrieve historical artifacts.”

Ubisoft hopes to have a director, cast, and script lined up to start shooting by next summer, according to Jean-Julien Baronnet, CEO of Ubisoft Motion Pictures. In addition to preserving elements of the game that make up its DNA, like the design of its characters and historical elements, it hopes to tie in the release of a film with a new game launch.

“We don’t want to make games just for the sake of movies,” Baronnet said. “We want to make them in concert with the games.”

ASSASSIN’S CREED launched in 2007 and has since spawned two sequels, comic book spinoffs, novels, action figures, and collectibles.

“Ubisoft chose to partner with New Regency because they are a talent and filmmaker-driven company, with the same independent and creative mindset that we have at Ubisoft Motion Pictures,” Baronnet said. “Bringing aboard New Regency’s renowned production and distribution expertise while maintaining our own creative and financial flexibility ensures that ‘Assassin’s Creed’ will be a high-quality film that respects the lore and fans of the videogame franchise.”

I’ve only played the game a few times and enjoyed it quite a bit.  I think it’s one of the rare few videogame properties that is ripe for exploration on the big screen and having Fassbender onboard is a mint on the pillow.  Let’s hope they get a solid director to helm this puppy.

More as this develops.  You can pick up the third entry in the game franchise, Assassin’s Creed III on October 30, 2012.