Michael Fassbender Finally Played ‘Assassin’s Creed’ After Getting Lead Movie Role

The movie adaptation of the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise puts Michael Fassbender in the lead role. Not too surprisingly, the busy actor hasn’t had time to play the PlayStation, Xbox, and PC series prior to joining up as Callum Lynch.

Fassbender admitted to Entertainment Weekly that he never played Assassin’s Creed prior to being offered the role.

“I’ve played it since [being offered the job] mainly to get an idea of the physicality of the character,” Fassbender told Entertainment Weekly in a phone interview from the film’s Spain set. “We’re striving to find something special. We believe the whole concept around it is special and want to service that the best we can. The fans are really passionate: very specific and they expect accuracy and historical detail. We’re really trying to capitalize and feed on and enjoy the fun element. We’re working hard to make this something special.”

Fassbender’s movie career began with the release of 300 in 2007 just prior to the release of the first Assassin’s Creed game later that year. He starred in 14 movies over the next five years, including X-Men and Inglorious Basterds, prior to being announced for the lead role in the movie by Ubisoft and DMC Film. So, it’s understandable that he doesn’t get much game time in with his schedule.

Hear ye, hear ye! Two new Michael Fassbender pics from Assassin's Creed have landed: https://t.co/DTBGdiTo03 pic.twitter.com/HRE1T2m5gl

— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) December 29, 2015

It’s slightly rare to find actors and actresses that are huge fans of comic book and/or video games prior to them being adapted to film. That doesn’t mean Fassbender isn’t invested in the Assassin’s Creed film project. In addition to serving as one of the film’s producers, he’s bought into the science fiction aspects of the series and wants to tell an original story set in the same universe.

“You know, we absolutely want to respect the game,” Fassbender said to IGN in a 2014 interview. “There’s so much cool stuff in the game that we’re actually spoiled for choice in terms of what we can use and what we can’t, but we also want to bring new elements to it and perhaps our own version of things that already exist in the game. But we’re definitely making a feature film, and we’re approaching it as a feature film, as opposed to approaching it as a video game. But I love the world. I don’t really play that many video games, but when I met up with the guys from Ubisoft and they started to explain this whole world and the idea of DNA memory — you know, I think it’s a very feasible scientific theory. I just thought, ‘This is so rich,’ and about the possibility of it being this cinematic experience. So I’m really excited about it, and we’re working very hard to make sure that we’ve got the best and most exciting, original package.”

Look at what I found on #assassinscreedmovie set! Those Abstergo guys just love Templars! pic.twitter.com/0DBKL50Xym

— Azaïzia Aymar (@AymarMtl) November 4, 2015

In Assassin’s Creed, Fassbender’s Callum Lynch discovers he is a descendant of the secret Brotherhood of Assassin’s society that has waged a centuries-long war against the Templar secret society. The use of technology allows Lynch to unlock genetic memories of his ancestor, Aguilar, from Spain in the 15th century.

This is a break from the mainline Assassin’s Creed games where Desmond Miles is abducted by the Abstergo corporation to access his memories using the Animus, a device that unlocks genetic memories to discover mystical pieces of Eden. The series journeyed from Jerusalem during the Third Crusade to Italy, Constantinople, America during the Revolutionary War, and age of pirates, France, and England.

The Assassin’s Creed movie will be the first to explore Spain, though the Templar-connected Abstergo corporation will still be involved. There is also the chance that some other familiar faces will be involved too.

The movie also stars Brendan Gleeson, Jeremy Irons, Brian Gleeson, Ariane Labed, and Michael Kenneth Williams, among others. Assassin’s Creed is currently slated for a December 21, 2016, release to theaters following multiple delays.

What do you think of the prospects of Michael Fassbender in the Assassin’s Creed movie? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image via Sony Entertainment]