Netflix's live-action Assassin's Creed series will be set in Ancient Rome in 64 AD, as Netflix has confirmed the long-delayed adaptation has finally entered production. The series has started filming at Rome's Cinecittà Studios, marking a significant moment for what represents one of Netflix's most ambitious video game adaptations to date.
The choice of 64 AD is historically intriguing. The year is known for the Great Fire of Rome that started around the city's chariot stadium, Circus Maximus, and raged for days during which Emperor Nero was away in the coastal resort of Antium. Nero was widely blamed for the disaster, with accusers claiming that the emperor started the fire to bypass the senate and rebuild Rome to his liking, though modern historians believe the fire was accidental. This tumultuous period provides rich material for a narrative centred on political intrigue and power struggles.
The "Assassin's Creed" game franchise has previously been set in several historically accurate locations including ancient Egypt, Greece, Renaissance Italy, feudal Japan and revolution-era France but not in ancient Rome. The TV series will tell an original story not covered in the games which will be set in Rome 64 AD, offering writers considerable freedom to craft a narrative within the established Assassin's Creed mythology without directly adapting existing game storylines.
The production carries substantial financial weight. The series will be based at Cinecittà studios and shot entirely in Italy, including Rome's Lazio region and in Tuscany. The series will tap into Italy's tax rebates, which provide up to 40% of eligible production costs. Filming started on March 9 and is expected to run for seven months through October, with a potential 2027 release window on Netflix.
The ensemble cast reflects international scope. The main cast includes Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing), Toby Wallace (Euphoria Season 3), Zachary Hart (Slow Horses), Laura Marcus (Death by Lightning), Tanzyn Crawford (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), Nabhaan Rizwan (KAOS), and Claes Bang (Bad Sisters). More recently, Netflix's live-action Assassin's Creed adaptation has cast Noomi Rapace (Lamb, Prometheus), Sean Harris (Mission: Impossible, The Stranger), Ramzy Bedia (Of Money and Blood, Haunted Minds), and Corrado Invernizzi (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Ford v Ferrari) in recurring roles.
Robert Patino (known for Westworld) and David Wiener (known for Halo) will be the series' creators, showrunners, and executive producers. Director Johan Renck (Chernobyl) has been hired to direct episodes. Their combined credentials suggest Netflix is investing serious storytelling talent in the project, particularly important given that the 2016 Michael Fassbender film adaptation failed to resonate with audiences.
The series is centred on the secret war between two shadowy factions – one set on determining mankind's future through control and manipulation, while the other fights to preserve free will, following its characters across pivotal historical events as the two factions battle to shape humanity's destiny. This core premise from the games remains intact, though the Roman setting allows exploration of a previously untouched historical era within the franchise.
With more than 230 million units sold, the Assassin's Creed franchise is one of the best-selling series in video game history. For Netflix, investing in a major property with proven commercial appeal and substantial creative depth represents a calculated strategic choice, particularly as streaming services continue competing for premium content investment. The project's five-year development timeline underscores both the complexity of the adaptation and Netflix's commitment to getting it right.