Production has begun in Rome on the live-action adaptation of the blockbuster video-game franchise Assassin's Creed for Netflix, with filming primarily taking place at Cinecittà Studios. The high-end project is being helmed by Sweden's Johan Renck, who scooped an Emmy Award in 2019 for his work on the acclaimed HBO mini-series Chernobyl.

Set in Rome in 64 AD, the series will tell an original story within the long-running universe created by Ubisoft, exploring the clandestine conflict between two opposing factions whose struggle unfolds across pivotal moments in human history.

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The narrative centres on a centuries-long secret war between the authoritarian Templar Order – seeking to control humanity’s destiny through manipulation – and the Assassin Brotherhood, who aim to safeguard free will. In keeping with the franchise’s signature blend of historical drama and action-thriller storytelling, the series follows multiple characters whose personal journeys intersect with key turning points in civilisation.

Moreover, the year 64 AD is chiefly remembered for the Great Fire of Rome, which is believed to have begun near the city’s chariot-racing arena, the Circus Maximus. The blaze raged for several days while Emperor Nero was away in the coastal resort of Antium, giving rise to the enduring expression that “Nero fiddled while Rome burned”. Although Nero was widely accused of starting the fire in order to sidestep the Senate and rebuild the capital according to his own vision, most modern historians consider the catastrophe to have been accidental.

The project will be filmed entirely in Italy. Shooting kicked off on 9 March and is scheduled to continue for seven months, wrapping on 16 October, with a potential release on Netflix in 2027. After wrapping filming at Cinecittà, the production will also shoot on location across Latium and Tuscany. Notably, the production is expanding the large-scale Ancient Rome set already built on Cinecittà’s backlot, allowing the series to recreate the imperial capital at the height of the Roman Empire. The Italian studio complex has long served as one of Europe’s most important production hubs, hosting both domestic and international projects drawn by its extensive facilities and historical sets.

The cast features a mix of emerging and established international talent. Newly announced recurring performers include Danish actress Sandra Guldberg-Kampp, known for appearances in Foundation and The Rain; British-Moroccan thesp Youssef Kerkour (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms); Scottish actress Mirren Mack (Hedda, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]); and British stage performer Louis McCartney, recently seen in Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

They join a previously announced ensemble that includes Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing), Toby Wallace (Euphoria season 3), Laura Marcus (Death by Lightning), Tanzyn Crawford (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), Zachary Hart (Slow Horses), Nabhaan Rizwan (In Camera [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Naqqash Khalid
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intervista: Ruben Östlund
scheda film], Bad Sisters), Noomi Rapace (Lamb [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Valdimar Jóhannsson
scheda film], Prometheus), Ramzy Bedia (Of Money and Blood [+leggi anche:
intervista: Xavier Giannoli
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The project is overseen by showrunners and executive producers Roberto Patino (DMZ, Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) and David Wiener (Halo, Homecoming, The Killing). Executive producers also include Gerard Guillemot, Margaret Boykin, Austin Dill and Genevieve Jones on behalf of Ubisoft Film & Television (France), alongside Matt O’Toole.

Key creatives include costume designer Carlo Poggioli (The Leopard, The New Pope [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Paolo Sorrentino
scheda series]). The Italian line producer is Nicola Rosada, who has already worked with Netflix on the Italian shoots of The Decameron, Emily in Paris and La Dolce Villa. The show will also benefit from Italy’s tax rebates, which cover up to 40% of eligible production costs. The series represents another high-profile collaboration between Ubisoft and Netflix, as the Los Gatos-based streamer continues to invest in adaptations of globally recognised gaming properties.