Netflix’s long-gestating Assassin’s Creed series is finally taking a major creative step forward. After slowly locking in its lead cast, the streamer has now found the filmmaker who will shape the show’s look and tone — and it’s a name that instantly raises expectations.
🎬 Johan Renck Takes the Helm
Johan Renck, the Emmy-winning director behind HBO’s critically acclaimed Chernobyl, has been tapped to direct Netflix’s upcoming live-action Assassin’s Creed series. The Swedish filmmaker’s involvement marks the project’s most significant update yet and signals a darker, more grounded approach to the franchise.
Renck is no stranger to prestige television, having previously directed episodes of Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Vikings, Bates Motel, and Halt and Catch Fire.
🗡️ What We Know About the Series
The show is based on Ubisoft’s hugely successful Assassin’s Creed video game franchise and was first announced in July as the first series developed under Netflix’s 2020 deal with Ubisoft.
Plot details are still tightly guarded, but the official description points to the familiar core of the franchise:
a secret war between two shadowy factions — one seeking to control humanity’s future, the other fighting to protect free will — played out across major historical moments.
🎭 Cast & Creative Team
The series stars:
- Toby Wallace (Euphoria)
- Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing)
With Zachary Hart (Slow Horses) and Laura Marcus (Death by Lightning) as series regulars.
The show is created and run by Roberto Patino and David Wiener, who also serve as executive producers. Ubisoft Film & Television is heavily involved, with multiple executives producing alongside Netflix.
🎮 A Franchise With Massive Legacy
The Assassin’s Creed universe began in 2007 and quickly became one of gaming’s most recognisable franchises. Since then, it has expanded to 14 mainline games, selling over 230 million copies worldwide. The most recent entry, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, launched in 2025.
The brand previously made the jump to cinema with the 2016 film starring Michael Fassbender, but Netflix’s series aims to deliver a deeper, long-form adaptation.
🎥 Renck’s Netflix History
Renck has collaborated with Netflix before, directing the opening episodes of Bloodline and the 2024 sci-fi feature Spaceman, starring Adam Sandler. Interestingly, he once joked that after Chernobyl’s overwhelming success, he briefly considered quitting filmmaking altogether to open a restaurant — a plan that clearly didn’t last.
🎬 Final Words
With Johan Renck stepping in, Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed series finally feels real — and serious. His track record suggests a version of the franchise that leans into tension, moral conflict, and grounded storytelling rather than spectacle alone. For fans who’ve waited years to see Assassin’s Creed done right on screen, this could be the moment it truly levels up.
