Top 10 Awesome Assassins Creed Movie Facts
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Assassin's Creed is a huge budget and highly ambitious movie based on the popular video game franchise and starring Michael Fassbender, that Ubisoft hopes will be changing the the narrative on video game to film adaptations! WatchMojo presents 10 things you need to know about the upcoming action film. How did the film's production recreate the iconic leap of faith? What was the film's budget? What did the stars like Jeremy Irons and Marion Cotillard?
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It’s time to enter the Animus. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Assassin’s Creed Facts.
For this list, we’re taking a look at interesting trivia regarding the live-action adaption of Ubisoft’s hit video game series.
#10: Not a Superhero Movie
The assassins in this franchise might not have superpowers per se, but there is an undeniable superhero vibe. The games typically focus on hooded vigilantes that leap from rooftops, stealthily sneak up on targets, and serve their own brand of justice. It’s hard not to make the comparison to Daredevil or The Green Arrow. Director Justin Kurzel wanted to avoid making a superhero movie, however. Rather, the Australian filmmaker is aiming to explore “what it is to be human.” He hopes to accomplish this via practical effects and intense parkour-based stunt work, giving the film a grounded sense of realism.
#9: Michael Fassbender Did Most of His Own Fights
Michael Fassbender is no stranger to action movies, most notably starring as Magneto in the “X-Men” franchise. As the leading man in “Assassin’s Creed,” the Oscar-nominated actor faced one of his most physically demanding roles yet. Where some performers would’ve relied on a stunt double to pick up most of the slack, Fassbender reportedly performed 95% of his character’s fight scenes. Fassbender wasn’t the only actor that carried his own weight. Ariane Labed, who plays a female assassin named Aguilar, did a majority of her own stunts as well. With that said, some of the stunts were so insane that a trained professional had to step in. More on that later…
#8: Jeremy Irons as The Villain
From Scar in “The Lion King” to Simon in “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” there’s a reason why Jeremy Irons is frequently typecast as villains. In “Assassin’s Creed,” the English actor stars as Alan Rikkin, the devious CEO of Abstergo Industries. Part of what makes this casting choice so interesting is that Irons previously portrayed Rodrigo Borgia in the Showtime historical drama series, “The Borgias.” Rodrigo Borgia was also the big bad in the “Assassin's Creed II” video game, emerging as the Grand Master of the Knights Templar. These two franchises might be otherwise unrelated, but Irons certainly provides a cool connection.
#7: Robert Downey Jr. Was Rumored for a Role
Leonardo da Vinci has appeared in a couple “Assassin’s Creed” games. Back in 2014, rumors started to circulate that Robert Downey Jr. would play the Renaissance man in this film adaptation. Since RDJ knows a thing or two about playing visionary inventors, this sounded like a match made in heaven. Alas, this rumor has since fizzled out. While we’re on the subject of Hollywood A-listers, Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander, who previously worked alongside Fassbender in “The Light Between Oceans,” was also up for the role of Maria but when she decided to star in “Jason Bourne” instead.
#6: The Animus’ Redesign
The Animus has always played a key role in the “Assassin’s Creed” franchise, allowing our protagonist to relive the memories of his ancestor. This machine is getting a new look for its silver screen debut, though. Instead of sitting down in a chair, the user will be hooked up to the device and lifted into the air, making the experience more physically demanding for the user. Fassbender says the Animus was redesigned so audiences wouldn’t draw parallels to “The Matrix.” People might not make comparisons to “The Matrix” anymore, but are we the only ones that think the new Animus shares a resemblance to GlaDOS from “Portal?”
#5: 15th Century Spain
Over half of “Assassin’s Creed” will take place in present day where Fassbender plays a criminal named Callum Lynch. In the film’s regression sequences, though, Fassbender will assume the role of Lynch’s ancestor, an assassin named Aguilar de Nerha. These scenes take place in 15th century Spain during the Spanish Inquisition’s reign. While the filmmakers originally planned to film the historical sequences in English, it was eventually decided to have the actors speak in the Spanish language. This is a change from the video games, in which the Animus utilized a built-in translator to convert everything into English. Justin Kurzel ultimately felt, however, that this would give the film another layer of exoticness and authenticity.
#4: An Original Story
The “Assassin’s Creed” games have no shortage of strong storylines and unforgettable characters that would translate well to film feature. This movie will have an original screenplay, though, focusing on a brand new cast of characters. The only one making the leap from the game to to the big screen is Alan Rikkin, who had a brief cameo in the original “Assassin’s Creed” game. Ubisoft and the filmmakers made this decision in order to expand upon the franchise’s lore. As much as we’d love to see Desmond Miles or an adult Ezio Auditore da Firenze in a live-action movie, we’re always down for something unique.
#3: A Leap of Faith
As stated before, “Assassin’s Creed” will have plenty of insane stunts to go around, but one particular scene literally took things to new heights. The film of course includes the “Leap of Faith” jump, which is arguably the most iconic staple of the “Assassin’s Creed” games. Instead of creating a CGI puppet, the production team turned to British freerunner Damien Walters. Standing in for Fassbender, this stuntman performed a 125-foot free fall, which lasted approximately 3 seconds with an impact speed of 61 miles per hours. This is reportedly the longest free fall stunt in 35 years. It was a risky move for sure, but the filmmakers were determined to turn in the most realistic product possible. Keep in mind he’s landing on a huge crash pad NOT a pile of hay.
#2: A Huge Budget and Runtime
Video game movies aren’t exactly known for turning huge profits. Regardless, it’s clear that Ubisoft and 20th Century Fox have faith in “Assassin’s Creed.” It’s not only the longest movie based on a video game ever produced, clocking in at roughly 140 minutes, but also the most expensive. According to various sources, the film cost somewhere between $150 million and $200 million to make. The picture will need to make a bundle at the box office to become a financial success. If this is the video game movie that finally gets it right, however, “Assassin’s Creed” just might hit its mark.
#1: Michael Fassbender Didn’t Know About the Games
Michael Fassbender was Ubisoft’s first choice to play the leading man in their first cinematic production. Ironically, Fassbender had never played any of the “Assassin’s Creed” games before. As a matter of fact, he didn’t even know the franchise existed, even though it’s spawned nine main games, eight novels, and numerous comics. Being a dedicated actor, Fassbender wanted to learn more about the source material and do it justice. In order to get into character, he committed to playing the games shortly before filming started. As far as we’re concerned, it must have been a pretty fun role to research.
Do you agree with our list? What fun fact has you excited for “Assassin’s Creed?” For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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