With twenty games released over the last decade for various devices and platforms, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed is big business. In development as a film since 2011, Michael Fassbender, star of Prometheus and X-Men: Days of Future Past, has been attached since 2012, but it wasn’t until 2014 that a director was attached, Justin Kurzel, who had already worked with Fassbender on 2015’s Macbeth, also starring Marion Cotillard, here reunited with her former screen husband to play a member of the Animus project.
The history of feature film adaptations of video games is not encouraging, with too many failing to breakout of the existing fanbase ghetto while also disappointing those who know the source material best, but with Duncan Jones’ Warcraft released in June with an estimated budget of $100 million and Assasin’s Creed costing upwards of $150 million, the expections and confidence of the studios must be high to have invested so much into these two projects.
Michael Flett – So, this is Assassin’s Creed. I know nothing about this. And having seen the trailer, nor do I really think I want to know any more. I feel absolutely nothing other than Michael Fassbender is hot, which I already would have known even if I hadn’t met him last year. I don’t imagine I’ll be seeing either this or Warcraft.
Michael and Marion will be great, and they’ve worked for Justin before, but… am I the only one thinking “so what?” Is there some kind of a story here because all I see is people hitting each other, and I don’t really care. So he’s dead but he’s not dead but he’s been sent back to the Spanish Inquisition. Blimey, I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition.
If this film is to do well it has to sell itself beyond the existing fanbase of the game, and this isn’t the way to do it.
Wes Morrison – I’m a fan of the game and its central conceit is appealing to me, but my normal, immediate reaction to any video game based film is “so what?” I love the cast, and having seen Macbeth, I find the director’s visual style quite fitting for the game-to-screen adaptation. That said, show me one video game adaptation that has worked on any level and I’ll show you ten that didn’t.
I’m a bit surprised that Fassbender and Cotillard are having anything to do with this, as they generally gravitate towards headier cinematic endeavors. I’m certain at some point in the future this film will find its way to my eyes, but will I seek it out in my local cinema? I doubt it.
Kevin Gilmartin – The first thing I want to say about this trailer is this: what utter cockrocket thought it would be a good idea to feature Kanye West’s “music” in this film? The trailer is looking decent when suddenly there’s this fucking awful intrusion of…something, is it rap? R’n’B? I don’t know, but it lifts you right out of the trailer faster than a lump of shite in a swimming pool.
Anyway. I love the early instalments of the Assassin’s Creed games, the plot is pretty ambitious in its scope and I can see this film being just one of a series. My gut tells me it’s likely to be a Transformers or an Underworld, though, rather than a Lord of the Rings.
I see some elements of the games in there – the Animus, the weapons, the eagle and its cry, and I will admit to a tiny bit of excitement when Fassbender jumps from the tower at the end; if he doesn’t land in a hay bale I’ll be pissed! But, ultimately, this just doesn’t feel like Assassin’s Creed.
Maybe subsequent trailers will bring it around and ditch the crap music in favour of something akin to the original soundtrack from the games to give it some weight. At this point I can’t see me bothering with this film unless I’m channel flicking and it comes on Film4 or something.
Dario Persechino – Never having played the Assassin’s Creed games I have no idea how true to the source material this is, or even should be. Game to movie conversions don’t have a great history, and sometimes more artistic licence taken to translate one medium to another can be a good thing.
As a standalone trailer, it is visually impressive, and reminiscent of the game footage I’ve seen, but the plot suggested in the trailer doesn’t particularly grab my attention. It sounds like a convenient way to put the character in this artificial world to allow for amazing visuals. If it has any more depth than that remains to be seen, but Fassbender is always good to watch, as is Jeremy Irons.
The action sequences look very good, but will it be style over substance? I think, unusually for me, I actually do want to see more trailers for this before I decide if it piques my attention enough for a cinema visit.
Les Anderson – Not familiar with this at all but I understand it is derived from some kind of game young people play on their computers. I didn’t even watch the whole trailer – it was yet another derivative collection of off-the-shelf CGI shots interspersed with some “futuristic” orange-and-teal tinged stuff which could have been taken from just about every sci-fi film of the past five years. Yawn.
Harminder Pal – The new Assassin’s Creed trailer looks visually stunning and will hopefully end the curse of bad movies based on video games, thinking of the bad old days of Super Mario Brothers and Streetfighter.
It seems to be set during the period of the Spanish Inquisition and in the same universe but with Michael Fassbender’s character different from that of the games, so tied to them but opening it up to interest everyone.
If anyone can pull it off it’s Fassbender, who just can’t do wrong and is always a pleasure to watch. There are lots of nods to the games, including the Animus, parkour, acrobatics, hidden daggers as well as lots of leaping between buildings as well as off them, with eagles flying in the background.
The only negative is the choice of music – Kayne West?
Matthew Rutland – Well, Assassin’s Creed is based on a video game of the same name, and this trailer runs very similarly to the trailers of the earlier games themselves. Whilst on first view it appears that could be a good thing, the problem is this isn’t a game we are being pitched, therefore lush visuals don’t go as far in terms of enticement.
This trailer appears rather to have been cut with the primary demographic of the large gamer fanbase squarely in mind, but it looks like we are not revisiting the life of Desmond Miles, with Fassbender instead playing a different descendant of an Assassin, although this is no real concern as it is shared through DNA and therefore doesn’t need to be the same character.
The source material has been given a very Michael Bay-esque treatment, with slick over-stylized visuals and the Animus now looking more like a Terminator had angry sex with the Matrix probes as opposed to the VR style apparatus of the game. Yes, the iconic Eagle Dive is in there at the end, and the look is there, but the overwhelming force and power of Abstergo feels more cartoon villain along the lines of Weyland-Yutani as opposed to the sleek, behind the scenes Illuminati vibe of the games.
The worry is that for the non-fan there is not much or anything to entice or draw them into the world other than some fast-action violence scenes to appeal to pre-adolescent boys. Hopefully a fuller trailer will inevitably be released nearer the date which shows more story, or sadly this will be another cash-in of Hasbro proportions, i.e. another Battleship. And nobody needs another one of those.
Adam Dworak – I don’t understand why there is so much resentment towards this trailer. I think it looks fantastic and it has sexy Michael Fassbender but what is most important for me, this trailer brings hope.
Hollywood suffers right now from constant remakes and endless superhero movies. The world of games can be a source of amazing and original stories which could revitalise the stagnating movie industry, if done right.
I just hope that Assassin’s Creed will be the one to show the way.
Assassin’s Creed is scheduled for release on Wednesday 21st Dececember
Assassin’s Creed trailer – reaction
The history of feature film adaptations of video games is not encouraging, with too many failing to breakout of the existing fanbase ghetto while also disappointing those who know the source material best, but with Duncan Jones’ Warcraft released in June with an estimated budget of $100 million and Assasin’s Creed costing upwards of $150 million, the expections and confidence of the studios must be high to have invested so much into these two projects.
Michael Flett – So, this is Assassin’s Creed. I know nothing about this. And having seen the trailer, nor do I really think I want to know any more. I feel absolutely nothing other than Michael Fassbender is hot, which I already would have known even if I hadn’t met him last year. I don’t imagine I’ll be seeing either this or Warcraft.
If this film is to do well it has to sell itself beyond the existing fanbase of the game, and this isn’t the way to do it.
I’m a bit surprised that Fassbender and Cotillard are having anything to do with this, as they generally gravitate towards headier cinematic endeavors. I’m certain at some point in the future this film will find its way to my eyes, but will I seek it out in my local cinema? I doubt it.
Anyway. I love the early instalments of the Assassin’s Creed games, the plot is pretty ambitious in its scope and I can see this film being just one of a series. My gut tells me it’s likely to be a Transformers or an Underworld, though, rather than a Lord of the Rings.
Maybe subsequent trailers will bring it around and ditch the crap music in favour of something akin to the original soundtrack from the games to give it some weight. At this point I can’t see me bothering with this film unless I’m channel flicking and it comes on Film4 or something.
As a standalone trailer, it is visually impressive, and reminiscent of the game footage I’ve seen, but the plot suggested in the trailer doesn’t particularly grab my attention. It sounds like a convenient way to put the character in this artificial world to allow for amazing visuals. If it has any more depth than that remains to be seen, but Fassbender is always good to watch, as is Jeremy Irons.
Les Anderson – Not familiar with this at all but I understand it is derived from some kind of game young people play on their computers. I didn’t even watch the whole trailer – it was yet another derivative collection of off-the-shelf CGI shots interspersed with some “futuristic” orange-and-teal tinged stuff which could have been taken from just about every sci-fi film of the past five years. Yawn.
It seems to be set during the period of the Spanish Inquisition and in the same universe but with Michael Fassbender’s character different from that of the games, so tied to them but opening it up to interest everyone.
The only negative is the choice of music – Kayne West?
This trailer appears rather to have been cut with the primary demographic of the large gamer fanbase squarely in mind, but it looks like we are not revisiting the life of Desmond Miles, with Fassbender instead playing a different descendant of an Assassin, although this is no real concern as it is shared through DNA and therefore doesn’t need to be the same character.
The worry is that for the non-fan there is not much or anything to entice or draw them into the world other than some fast-action violence scenes to appeal to pre-adolescent boys. Hopefully a fuller trailer will inevitably be released nearer the date which shows more story, or sadly this will be another cash-in of Hasbro proportions, i.e. another Battleship. And nobody needs another one of those.
Hollywood suffers right now from constant remakes and endless superhero movies. The world of games can be a source of amazing and original stories which could revitalise the stagnating movie industry, if done right.
I just hope that Assassin’s Creed will be the one to show the way.
Assassin’s Creed is scheduled for release on Wednesday 21st Dececember
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