Ubisoft is trying to bring Assassin’s Creed to the big screen, but after other video game-to-film missteps like Hitman, the publisher is trying to make sure the movie does the game justice. Reportedly, Ubisoft signed a deal with Sony Pictures that gives the publisher approval rights over almost every aspect of the film. Hollywood insiders are shocked, saying Ubisoft has gotten away with something unheard of. And because of the deal, the film itself could be in jeopardy.
“As a director, even Steven Spielberg cannot get this kind of deal,” one insider told movie blog Vulture.
"The whole Ubisoft/Sony deal is a waste of ink, paper and time. The level of control Sony gave up means, effectively, that Assassin’s Creed will never — and I mean never — get made,” notes another anonymous agent.
Dreamworks, Universal, and Warner Bros were all offered rights, but ultimately declined after seeing Ubisoft’s demands. Some studio execs believe Ubisoft has overstepped its boundaries as a rights holder.
“It's [Ubisoft’s] billion-dollar brand, so I get that they're protective,” said a studio executive, “But they're not moviemakers, and the only way to make sure it's a bad movie is to undervalue what movie studios do — and this is a deal that totally undervalues what movie studios do.”
On the other hand, Sony believes the property has some life in it and only has to spend “a fraction of what a studio typically would spend to option or develop a script” according to a source close to the deal.
If Assassin’s Creed does not get made, it won’t be all that different from other high-profile attempts at getting a AAA franchise turned into a film. Uncharted has had a rocky road so far and Halo stalled out completely. Can Desmond, Altair, and Ezio succeed where others have failed so far? And if they do, will it open a new era in video game adaptations?
[Via Eurogamer]
