Nearly a decade after the first Assassin”s Creed game broke new ground in the action-adventure stealth genre. Players followed Desmond Miles as he unlocked the secrets of his ancestors” past, along with hints to a bigger reveal about humanity as a whole. With each new entry, another layer of lore was added on, culminating with Assassin”s Creed III.* Now Michael Fassbender is stepping into the secret world of Abstergo Industries in the first trailer for the Assassin”s Creed film.
*While the Assassin”s Creed series has continued, Desmond”s tale mostly ends in ACIII.
Yep, that definitely hits the right tone for an Assassin”s Creed entry! They even managed to add in a female assassin, something even Ubisoft didn”t do until the spin-off game Assassin”s Creed III: Liberation introduced Aveline as a playable character in 2012. For those who have played the series, there are a few other interesting things that stick out, but first! The official film synopsis:
Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.
WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR ASSASSIN”S CREED BEYOND THIS POINT.
What”s interesting is by making Fassbender into a brand-new character, the series leaves open the door that Desmond – whether in the flesh or as a computerized “ghost” – can appear. The movie is heading a to a new location. We”re not with Altair in 12th century Jerusalem, nor are with Ezio in 15th century Italy. Instead, we're in Spain. That means brand-new buildings to climb!
The movie also has the Knights Templar are still in search of people with genetic links to the Assassins, so the Animus console that can reach out to those without Isu blood is probably not showing up. The Animus is also far more alien than the space-bed of the game.
Speaking of aliens – and sure, the Isu SAY they aren”t aliens but whatever – was anyone else hoping for a least a glimpse of the First Civilization? If Abstergo Industries is putting Callum in the Animus, it”s because they think he can help them find “those who came before.” The secondary lore of Assassin” Creed was alway the most fascinating to me. This mind-bogglingly advanced civilization that created humans as slaves only to be usurped by Adam and Eve stealing the Apple of Eden? TELL ME MORE. But no, the plot was dangled before fans during Desmond”s arc and then snatched away. Games after ACIII have the search for the First Civilization as a blip in the background, but we”ve never gotten a meaty look at the dawn of humanity.
Assassin”s Creed arrives in theaters on December 21, 2016.