Johan Renck, the acclaimed director behind the Emmy-winning HBO miniseries Chernobyl, is taking the lead on Netflix’s new live-action Assassin’s Creed series. This key hire signals a serious, high-quality direction for one of the most popular video game adaptations in the works. The series, which already has a strong cast in place, marks the first live-action show from Netflix’s partnership with game developer Ubisoft.
The series will tell a classic Assassin’s Creed story, centered on a secret, ancient war. The official logline describes it as a battle between two shadowy groups: one wants to control humanity’s future, while the other fights for free will. The story will follow characters across important historical events as they try to shape the fate of the world.
Why Director Johan Renck Is a Major Deal for the Series
Getting Johan Renck to direct is a major step for Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed. Renck is not just any director; he has a proven ability to handle complex, serious stories with great skill. His work on Chernobyl won him an Emmy award for directing. That series was praised for its tense, realistic, and gripping portrayal of a historical disaster. His style suggests the Assassin’s Creed show will focus on strong storytelling and character development, not just action.
Renck is best known for his masterful work on HBO’s Emmy award-winning mini-series Chernobyl, where his atmospheric and tension-filled direction earned him critical acclaim.
Renck has also directed episodes of other famous shows like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and Vikings. This will be his third project with Netflix, following the series Bloodline and the 2024 film Spaceman starring Adam Sandler.
The Show’s Main Cast of Rising Stars
Even before the director was announced, Netflix had assembled the main actors for the show. The leads come from several well-regarded television dramas.
The starring roles will be played by Toby Wallace and Lola Petticrew. Toby Wallace is known for his role in the hit series Euphoria. Lola Petticrew recently appeared in the series Say Nothing. They will be joined by series regulars Zachary Hart from Slow Horses and Laura Marcus from Death by Lightning. The specific characters the actors will play have not been revealed yet.
A Long Development Path With New Leadership
Netflix first announced its deal with Ubisoft to make live-action Assassin’s Creed content back in 2020. For years, the project seemed to be in early planning stages. It finally moved forward in July when Netflix confirmed the series was officially happening.
The original showrunner was Jeb Stuart, the writer of Die Hard. However, in July, Netflix announced that Roberto Patino and David Wiener had taken over as the new creators, showrunners, and executive producers. In a joint statement, they expressed their long-time passion for the game franchise and their vision for the show.
“We’ve been fans of Assassin’s Creed since its release in 2007… Beneath the scope, spectacle, parkour and thrills is a baseline for the most essential kind of human story — about people searching for purpose, struggling with questions of identity and destiny and faith.”
Patino’s previous work includes Westworld and Sons of Anarchy, while Wiener worked on Halo and The Killing. They will work with Renck to bring the series to life.
Where and When the Series Will Film
According to reports, production for the Assassin’s Creed series is scheduled to start in early 2026. Filming will take place in Italy, which is also expected to be the primary historical setting for the show’s first season.
This aligns perfectly with the Assassin’s Creed games, which are famous for letting players explore beautifully recreated historical periods. The very first game in 2007 was set in the Holy Land during the Crusades, but one of the most beloved entries, Assassin’s Creed II, took place during the Italian Renaissance. Other games have visited the American Revolution, the Golden Age of Piracy, and feudal Japan. This gives the Netflix series many exciting options for future seasons if the first one is successful.
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Adapting a Beloved Game Franchise
The Assassin’s Creed games have sold more than 230 million copies worldwide since the first one launched in 2007. The core story involves a centuries-old conflict between the Assassins, who fight for free will, and the Templars, who seek control through order. Players use a device called the Animus to relive the genetic memories of their ancestors throughout history.
This will not be the first attempt to bring Assassin’s Creed to screens. A big-budget movie was released in 2016, starring Michael Fassbender. While it made some money, the film received mixed reviews from critics and fans, who often felt it did not fully capture what makes the games special.
Netflix’s series represents a fresh start and a chance to get it right in a longer format. The hiring of a respected director like Johan Renck shows that Netflix is investing in high-quality talent to meet the high expectations of the game’s massive fanbase.
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