Ubisoft joins with New Regency and Fox for Assassin's Creed film, screenplay development 'beginning immediately'

Ubisoft is partnering with production company New Regency and distributor 20th Century Fox for its upcoming Assassin's Creed film, which is being fast-tracked as development on a screenplay begins, the French game publisher announced today.

Earlier this year, actor Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds, Shame) was confirmed to be starring in the film as modern-day protagonist Desmond Miles.

The movie is being made by Ubisoft Motion Pictures, the film and television branch of the company, "in close collaboration" with New Regency, according to a prepared statement from Ubisoft. The deal allows Ubisoft to maintain creative control over the film while New Regency partly finances production and 20th Century Fox handles distribution, and "ensures that Assassin's Creed will be a high-quality film that respects the lore and fans of the video game franchise," said Ubisoft Motion Pictures chief executive Jean-Julien Baronnet. According to Variety, the company wants to have a script, director and cast in place by next summer, so filming can begin.

New Regency Productions was established in 1991 and has produced dozens of films including Fight Club and Heat. Ubisoft Motion Pictures is also working on a television series based on the publisher's Rabbids franchise, along with films based on the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon series.