Netflix is slowly chipping away at their new Assassin’s Creed live-action TV series, and the proof is in Jeb Stuart. The screenwriter best known for penning blockbuster action films like Die Hard has just been tapped to write the highly anticipated adaptation.
Stuart has ventured into the world of TV shows before for Netflix, including limited series like The Liberator and the recent addition Vikings: Valhalla, the sequel to History Channel’s Vikings. However, he’s best known for his feature film scripts, many of which went on to become staples in the action genre. He made a splash when his first screenplay turned into Die Hard in 1988. Afterwards, he went on to help pen the sci-fi horror Leviathan, Sylvester Stallone’s prison thriller Lock Up, the 1993 classic The Fugitive. He even wrote an early draft of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, too.
The upcoming Assassin’s Creed show has been in development at Netflix since 2020. It’s part of a larger deal the streaming giant made with Ubisoft to create live-action, animated, and anime series based on the bestselling video game franchise. So far those other projects have not been formally announced by Netflix, as it seems like the new live-action series will pave the way for the others.
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A plot for the live-action TV series has not yet been announced, but it sounds like the executives at Netflix are aware they shouldn’t toy with fans’ expectations. “We’re excited to partner with Ubisoft and bring to life the rich, multilayered storytelling that Assassin’s Creed is beloved for,” said Peter Friedlander, the Vice President of Originals at Netflix, last year. “From its breathtaking historical worlds and massive global appeal as one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, we are committed to carefully crafting epic and thrilling entertainment based on this distinct IP and provide a deeper dive for fans and our members around the world to enjoy.”
Back in 2016, Assassin’s Creed was adapted for the big screen but ultimately struggled to explain the video game’s story in such a limited time frame. In his review of the movie for Consequence, critic Randall Colburn awarded it a C, writing, “What saves this head-scratching, relentlessly portentous movie is what also saves the games: the action is on point.” Here’s hoping the upcoming show figures out how to translate the game’s intricacies a little better.
