Back in January, French computer and video game publisher Ubisoft Entertainment announced its plans to launch an in-house production company to bring its popular video games to life on the big screen. On Sunday, Variety reported that Ubisoft Motion Pictures is currently in the pre-production stages of 3D adaptations of three of its most popular brands – “Assassin’s Creed,” “Splinter Cell” and “Ghost Recon.” The company hopes to have scripts ready by the end of the year.
Having played all three games myself, I can tell you that these films have enormous potential. I’m particularly interested in seeing what comes of “Assassin’s Creed.” The game was first introduced in 2007 and has seen huge success since. I'd like to see the team that put together "300" take this on...
Senior vice president of international marketing and distribution Jean de Rivieres, who also serves as one of the heads of Ubisoft’s new division, describes the company’s strategy as one that will satisfy both the loyal fans of each brand while expanding the reach of all three outside of their primary target audiences. Ubisoft has already received interest from U.S. studios and screenwriters, but fans will be relieved to hear that the company plans to retain control over the film content for each project. This should help keep the storyline for each film as consistent with the video games as possible.
Related Articles
Having sold 28 million units worldwide, “Assassin’s Creed” will likely generate the most buzz. The action-adventure follows a conflict between the Assassins and the Templars, two rival groups whose influence has played a role in most major historical events. At 22 million units sold, “Splinter Cell” will mirror the popular “Bourne” movies as a secret agent struggles to protect his daughter while fighting terrorism. “Ghost Recon” is set in a futuristic tech-war and follows a group of undercover soldiers as they fight for world peace.
Each adaptation will appear in 3D – a.k.a. $18.00 a ticket – so let’s hope Ubisoft’s movies play as well as their games. Given the success of each brand, these projects could be huge for the company should they prove successful in the competitive world of film.
