You’ve probably spent hours running across the terracotta rooftops of Renaissance Florence. We all have. If you’re a fan of the franchise, the name Ezio Auditore da Firenze isn't just a character; he’s basically gaming royalty. So, it makes total sense that people are constantly scouring the internet for news on assassin's creed 2 the movie. It’s the dream, right? Seeing the greatest protagonist in the series get a big-budget Hollywood adaptation that actually does the source material justice.
But here’s the cold, hard truth: it doesn't exist. Not yet, anyway.
Despite what those suspiciously high-quality fan-made trailers on YouTube might lead you to believe, there is no official feature film based on the second game. The 2016 movie we did get, starring Michael Fassbender, was a standalone story about a different character named Callum Lynch. It was... okay. Kinda messy. Honestly, it left a bit of a sour taste in the mouths of purists who wanted to see the Borgias and the Medici family brought to life with cinematic flair.
The Confusion Around an Assassin's Creed 2 Movie
Why does everyone keep thinking there’s a sequel movie or an Ezio-specific film? It’s mostly because of Assassin’s Creed: Lineage.
If you haven’t seen it, Lineage is a series of three short films that Ubisoft released right before the second game launched in 2009. It’s actually pretty cool. It follows Giovanni Auditore—Ezio’s dad—as he uncovers the conspiracy that eventually leads to his execution. It’s a prequel. It’s live-action. It features the same actors who provided the likenesses and voices for the game characters. Because it’s so well-integrated into the lore, many people mistake it for a full-length assassin's creed 2 the movie or at least a pilot for one.
Then you have the 2016 film. It was supposed to be the start of a massive cinematic universe. Director Justin Kurzel and Fassbender had big plans. There was talk of a sequel that would have moved the setting to the Cold War or perhaps 1950s America. But the box office didn't play nice. It made about $240 million on a budget of $125 million, which, in Hollywood math, basically means it barely broke even after marketing costs.
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Disney eventually bought Fox, and the plans for a direct sequel to that specific film were essentially tossed into the "maybe later" bin.
The Netflix Factor
Right now, the most realistic "movie" experience we’re going to get isn't a film at all. It’s the Netflix series. Ubisoft and Netflix signed a deal years ago to develop live-action, animated, and anime content.
Progress has been slow. Painfully slow.
Showrunner Jeb Stuart—the guy who wrote Die Hard and Vikings: Valhalla—was originally attached to the project but stepped away due to "differences in vision." That’s usually code for "it’s stuck in development hell." But the project is still technically alive. Whether they decide to adapt Ezio's story or create another new character remains the million-dollar question. If they're smart, they'll go back to 15th-century Italy. That's what the people want.
Why Ezio is So Hard to Cast
Imagine trying to find a real human who captures the charisma of Ezio Auditore. It's a nightmare for a casting director. He starts as a cocky teenager in Assassin's Creed 2, matures into a master in Brotherhood, and becomes a weary, wise sage in Revelations.
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If they ever did greenlight an assassin's creed 2 the movie, they’d need someone who can handle the physical parkour—which, by the way, was mostly done with practical stunts in the 2016 film—while also being able to pull off that specific blend of Italian charm and lethal intensity.
Fans have thrown around names for years.
- Oscar Isaac? Maybe ten years ago.
- Timothée Chalamet? He's got the "pretty boy" Florence look, but can he fight a Pope in a basement?
- An unknown Italian actor? That would actually be the most authentic route.
The problem with the 2016 movie wasn't the acting. Fassbender was great. The problem was the balance. It spent way too much time in the "present day" Abstergo facility and not enough time in the past. If a movie based on the second game ever happens, it needs to be 80% Renaissance, 20% Animus. Maybe even 90/10. We want the Venice Carnevale, not fluorescent office lights and medical gowns.
What Actually Exists for Fans to Watch
If you are desperate for a cinematic experience that feels like an assassin's creed 2 the movie, you have to piece it together yourself. It's a DIY cinema night.
- Assassin’s Creed: Lineage: As mentioned, this is the essential prologue. You can find the whole 35-minute thing on YouTube. It sets the stage for why the Auditore family was targeted.
- The In-Game Cinematics: Honestly, the "movie cuts" on YouTube where editors remove the gameplay and leave just the story are better than most Hollywood scripts. The performance capture in AC2 was groundbreaking for its time.
- Assassin’s Creed: Embers: This is a short animated film that shows the final days of Ezio. It’s emotional. It’s beautiful. It’s the perfect ending to his trilogy. It gives you more closure than any live-action adaptation ever could.
The Business of Why It Hasn't Happened
Hollywood is scared of video game movies. Or, they were.
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The "video game curse" was a real thing for a long time. Super Mario Bros (1993) killed the vibe for decades. But recently, things changed. The Last of Us on HBO proved you can do high-art prestige drama with a controller-based origin. The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sonic proved they can be billion-dollar hits.
So why is assassin's creed 2 the movie still in limbo?
Ubisoft is very protective of their IP now. They have "Ubisoft Film & Television," and they want a seat at the table. They don't just want to sell the rights; they want to co-produce. This makes negotiations with big studios or streamers like Netflix much more complicated. Also, the sheer scale of AC2 is expensive. Building 15th-century Venice or Florence? Even with CGI and "The Volume" (the LED screen tech used in The Mandalorian), that’s a $200 million project.
The 2016 movie tried to be too many things to too many people. It tried to explain the complex "genetic memory" science to newcomers while throwing "Leap of Faith" Easter eggs at fans. It ended up alienating both. A movie about Ezio would have to be simpler: a revenge story set against the backdrop of the Renaissance.
Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Fan
Since we aren't getting a release date for a new movie any time soon, here is how you can get your fix of the Ezio era in the most "cinematic" way possible.
- Watch the 4K Remasters: If you haven't played the Ezio Collection on modern consoles, do it. The lighting and textures make the world feel much more like a film than the original 2009 release.
- Track the Netflix Production: Keep an eye on trade publications like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter. Any real news about an Assassin's Creed adaptation will break there first, not on random gaming "leaks" Twitter accounts.
- Read 'Renaissance' by Oliver Bowden: This is the novelization of the game. It fills in the gaps that the game missed, including more of Ezio’s internal monologue. It reads like a screenplay in many parts.
- Visit the Locations: If you’re lucky enough to travel, go to San Gimignano or Florence. Standing in the Piazza della Signoria is a more immersive "movie" experience than anything you'll see on a screen.
The legacy of Ezio Auditore is safe in the gaming world. While we might not have a formal assassin's creed 2 the movie in theaters, the story is already a masterpiece. Sometimes, a game is so good that a movie can only ever be a downgrade.
If you're looking for the best way to experience the story right now, stick to the source material. Replay the trilogy. Watch Lineage. Let the Netflix series cook in the background, but don't hold your breath for a red-carpet premiere. Hollywood is still trying to figure out how to catch the Leap of Faith without hitting the hay bale.