It looks like the upcoming Netflix adaptation of the popular video game franchise Assassin’s Creed has hit a rough patch. The show, which was announced in October 2020, has lost its showrunner, Jeb Stuart (Vikings: Valhalla, Die Hard), according to Collider.
In an interview with Collider, Stuart explained that the move was due to shift in executives from LA to London and the London team inheriting his vision rather than developing their own. Stuart expressed confidence in the project stating, “I know it’s going to be great whenever it comes out. I think the Ubisoft guys are fantastic. I think it’s a terrific franchise.” However, this news may be concerning for fans of the franchise as it comes on the heels of the critically panned Assassin’s Creed movie released in 2016.
The Assassin’s Creed series follows the eternal battle between the Templar and the Brotherhood, who use manipulation and assassination to shape the world from Ancient Egypt to the modern day. The Brotherhood utilizes technology that allows them to view the lives of previous assassins and apply their knowledge to defeat the powerful Templars. While the premise of the series is interesting, it has struggled in previous adaptations, including the need to condense hours of gameplay into a shorter movie format. With the Netflix series, however, there will be more time for plot and character development, which may help to avoid some of the issues of previous adaptations.
No casting information has been announced for the show and it is unclear how the departure of Stuart will affect its development. Despite this, Ubisoft has stated that the project is “still early in development”. It remains to be seen if the Assassin’s Creed Netflix series will be able to overcome the challenges that have plagued previous adaptations of the franchise and find success on the small screen.