Assassin’s Creed film star claims it most resembles The Matrix

Michael Fassbender, star of the upcoming Assassin's Creed movie adaptation, says the film has more in common with The Matrix than anything else.

Talking to Empire Magazine, Fassbender said there are elements of the movie's story that make it feel like more than just a run-of-the-mill fantasy piece. While we can't speak to the veracity of that, Fassbender's comments suggest the film will fall more along the lines of science fiction, similar to The Matrix.

"The idea of DNA memory elevates it from a basic fantasy genre [piece], because you have something an audience can actually believe in," Fassbender said. "I've always thought about The Matrix when we've approached this."

Based on Ubisoft's video game franchise of the same name, Assassin's Creed follows Fassbender's Callum Lynch. Through the use of a special device called an Animus, Lynch is able to revisit and experience ancestral memories linked to a pirate named Aguilar from the 15th century.

In the movie, Lynch is surprised to learn that he's actually a descendent of a secret group of assassins. It's through learning about his past that he's effectively forced into revisiting the memories of Aguilar and use that knowledge to take on a Templar organization in his own modern-day world.

Fassbender, who hasn't spent much time with the game, also confirmed that the movie wouldn't be overly violent. Instead, it would focus on the intricate action sequences and stealth missions akin to the game.

Assassin's Creed, which also stars Marion Cotillard, Brendan Gleeson and Jeremy Irons, hits theaters Dec. 21.