Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed Series Begins Filming in Rome: What We Know So Far

Netflix has officially begun production on its long-awaited Assassin’s Creed live-action series, with filming now underway in Rome. After years of development, the project is finally moving forward, with Cinecitta Studios handling production.

According to reports from Deadline, the series will be set in Ancient Rome, specifically 64 AD, a pivotal year tied to the Great Fire Of Rome during the reign of Emperor Neo. This setting provides a rich historical backdrop to explore the ongoing conflict between the Assassins and the Templars.

A New Story Within a Familiar World

Rather than adapting an existing storyline from the games, the series will introduce an original narrative within the Assassin’s Creed universe. Viewers will follow a new protagonist, experiencing their lineage through the Animus: the franchise’s signature technology that allows users to relive the memories of their ancestors.

This approach gives the show creative freedom while still staying grounded in the core themes that define Assassin’s Creed: history, identity, and the hidden war shaping humanity’s future.

Cast and Creative Team

The series features a strong and diverse cast, including:

• Lola Petticrew
• Toby Wallace
• Laura Marcus
• Tanzyn Crawford
• Zachary Hart
• Nabhaan Rizwan
• Claes Bang
• Noomi Rapace
• Ramzy Bedia 
• Sean Harris 
• Corrado Invernizzi
• Sandra Guldberg-Kampp
• Youssef Kerkour 
• Mirren Mack 
• Louis McCartney

Leading the project are showrunners Roberto Patino and David Wiener, who also serve as executive producers alongside key figures from Ubisoft Film & TV. 

A Franchise With Massive Expectations

Since its debut in 2007, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise has become one of the most successful in gaming history, selling over 230 million copies worldwide. The series introduced players to a hidden war between two opposing ideologies:

• The Assassins, who fight to preserve free will

• The Templars, who seek control through powerful artifacts known as Pieces of Eden

The original games followed Desmond Miles, whose journey through his ancestors’ memories connected past events to humanity’s future survival.

Questions Still Remain

The biggest question surrounding Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed series is whether it can capture the heart of the franchise? This is what previous movie adaptation failed to achieve. At its core, Assassin’s Creed isn’t just about action or historical settings; it’s about connection. The bond between past and present, the emotional weight of lineage, and the relationships built along the way are what make the story resonate.

For this series to succeed, it will need to focus on a strong central protagonist, supported by meaningful characters in both timelines. That emotional anchor…grounded in the modern world while exploring the past, is what made the original games so compelling. If Patino and Wiener can translate those core elements to the screen, this could finally be the adaptation the franchise deserves.

Only time will tell if Netflix can deliver but for now, the pieces of chessboard are being laid.