Netflix has officially unveiled comprehensive details for its highly anticipated live-action “Assassin’s Creed” series, which will present an original story set in Rome in 64 A.D. Filming for this hotly anticipated series, under the direction of Johan Renck, known for his work on “Chernobyl,” has officially commenced at Rome’s iconic Cinecittà Studios and is expected to run for seven months, concluding on October 16, with a potential release window on Netflix in 2027.

The choice of Rome in 64 A.D. marks an intriguing new historical setting for the video game franchise's adaptations. While the “Assassin’s Creed” games have previously explored historically accurate locations such as ancient Egypt, Greece, Renaissance Italy, feudal Japan, and revolution-era France, ancient Rome has not been a central setting. The year 64 A.D. is particularly significant, being known for the devastating Great Fire of Rome that ignited near the city’s chariot stadium, Circus Maximus, and raged for days. During this period, Emperor Nero was away in Antium, leading to the infamous phrase “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.” Nero was widely blamed for the catastrophe, with accusers alleging he started the fire to bypass the senate and rebuild Rome to his own design, though modern historians often suggest the fire was accidental. The series is set to explore this pivotal historical backdrop through its unique narrative lens, nearly a millennium before the events of the first Assassin's Creed game, yet further in the timeline than other entries like Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

Production for the series is based entirely in Italy, specifically at Cinecittà Studios, and will involve shooting throughout the country. Beyond using Cinecittà’s vast ancient Rome backlot set, which includes a replica of the Roman Forum, the show will also film in Rome’s Lazio region and in Tuscany. The production is also strategically tapping into Italy’s generous tax rebates, which provide up to 40% of eligible production costs. Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Cinecittà Studios, expressed immense honor that Netflix chose their facilities for such a spectacular and ambitious series. She highlighted Cinecittà's international credibility, professional guarantee, and the trust placed in its skilled workforce and art department, which is collaborating on the creation of truly spectacular sets, confirming Cinecittà's status as a recognized artistic excellence and a source of pride for Italy.

The expanding ensemble cast for the series includes newly announced recurring members such as Louis McCartney, who starred in the “Stranger Things” stage adaptation “The First Shadow”; Mirren Mack, known for “The Nest” and “The Witcher: Blood Origin”; Youssef Kerkour from “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”; and Sandra Guldberg-Kampp of “Foundation.” These additions join a previously announced cast featuring Lola Petticrew, Toby Wallace, Zachary Hart, Laura Marcus, Tanzyn Crawford, Nabhann Rizwan, Claes Bang, Noomi Rapace, Ramzy Bedia, Sean Harris, and Corrado Invernizzi.

The “Assassin’s Creed” game franchise is one of the bestselling in history, having sold over 230 million units globally since its initial release in 2007. Comprising 14 installments, the franchise explores the perpetual secret war between the rival orders of the Assassins and the Templars, who utilize advanced machines to access genetic memories of past Assassins to locate powerful artifacts known as Pieces of Eden. The Netflix series' official logline describes it as a “high-octane thriller centered 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. The series follows its characters across pivotal historical events as they battle to shape humanity’s destiny.” This television format is expected to provide ample opportunity to flesh out its world and narrative, overcoming some of the limitations faced by the divisively received 2016 live-action movie adaptation starring Michael Fassbender and Jeremy Irons.

Behind the scenes, “Westworld” writer Roberto Patino and “Homecoming” creator David Wiener are serving as the “Assassin’s Creed” show creators, showrunners, and executive producers. Other executive producers include Gerard Guillemot, Margaret Boykin, Austin Dill, and Genevieve Jones from Ubisoft Film & Television, along with Matt O’Toole. Italy’s Carlo Poggioli, renowned for his costume design work on “The Leopard” and “The New Pope,” is the series’ ace costume designer. Nicola Rosada, who has previously collaborated with Netflix on Italy shoots for productions like “The Decameron” and “Emily in Paris,” is the Italian line producer.