Is Assassin’s Creed Movie True Story? Story Behind the Movie Revealed

Assassin’s Creed Movie True Story

The story depicted in the Assassin’s Creed movie is inspired by true events and historical elements. While the specific characters and their actions are fictionalized for the purpose of storytelling, the film draws heavily from the rich tapestry of real history. 

The Order of Assassins, led by Hasan-i Sabbah, did exist during the eleventh to thirteenth centuries, carrying out assassinations of prominent figures deemed enemies of the Isma’ili state. 

The Granada War, a significant conflict between Catholic monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand of Castile and the Muslim dynasty of Granada, serves as the historical backdrop for the film. 

The struggles, religious tensions, and power dynamics depicted in the movie reflect the real conflicts that shaped this period. While the characters and specific events are imaginative creations, the overall premise of the movie is firmly rooted in historical reality, making the Assassin’s Creed story a captivating blend of fact and fiction.

Is Assassin Creed Based on a true story?

Yes, the Assassin’s Creed movie is based on a true story. It is a work of fiction that takes inspiration from the video game franchise of the same name. In the year 2016, a cinematic masterpiece known as Assassin’s Creed graced the silver screen, bringing to life the captivating world of the immensely popular action-adventure video game series. Drawing inspiration from real history and events, the film offered a thrilling and immersive experience for audiences. Just like its gaming counterpart, the movie delved into a fascinating narrative rooted in the annals of time.

At its core, the Assassin’s Creed game series centers around Desmond Miles, a remarkable individual who harnesses the power of an extraordinary device called the Animus. This incredible machine allows Desmond to delve into the memories of his ancient ancestor from the year 1191. Through these ancestral recollections, he unravels a grand conflict between two influential factions, the Order of Assassins and the Knights Templar. As Desmond’s ancestor, he embarks on a perilous journey to acquire powerful artifacts known as Pieces of Eden while fulfilling his duty to eliminate nine formidable targets who stand in the way of peace.

While the initial Assassin’s Creed game was deeply entrenched in the tumultuous era of the Third Crusade, subsequent iterations of the game explored diverse historical contexts. The 2016 film faithfully followed this tradition, presenting a narrative that intertwined the present day with a significant moment in history. Protagonist Cal Lynch, portrayed by the brilliant Michael Fassbender, finds himself abducted by the enigmatic Abstergo company. Imprisoned and coerced, Cal is forced to relive the memories of his ancestor, Aguilar de Nerha, a fierce assassin from the 15th century. The quest? To locate the mythical Apple of Eden. The film predominantly unfolds against the backdrop of the Granada War, immersing viewers in a vibrant historical tapestry based on real-life events.

Central to the Assassin’s Creed franchise are the compelling characters who personify specific historical eras and groups. The assassins portrayed in the game and film bear striking resemblance to the Order of Assassins, a secretive organization with roots in the eleventh to thirteenth centuries. Led by the enigmatic Hasan-i Sabbah, the real-life Order of Assassins operated from fortresses scattered across present-day Iran. Their clandestine mission was to eliminate prominent figures who posed a threat to the Isma’ili state. These skilled assassins employed various methods, often resorting to public assassinations to instill terror, and wielded weapons such as daggers, poison, and arrows. Remarkably devoted to their cause, some Assassins were even willing to undertake perilous acts, echoing the iconic “leap of faith” depicted in Assassin’s Creed. Although the real Order of Assassins was eventually extinguished during the Mongol Invasion, the game series speculates on what might have transpired had the group persisted throughout history.

Although the characters and specific events may be fictionalized for dramatic effect, the Assassin’s Creed movie is firmly rooted in historical inspiration. It draws upon the true stories of the Order of Assassins, the Granada War, and the complex dynamics of the time to create a compelling narrative that merges history and fiction seamlessly.

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The Story Behind the Assassin’s Creed Movie

In the movie Assassin’s Creed, the character Muhammad XII of Granada plays a crucial role as the father of Prince Ahmed, whom Aguilar is tasked with protecting. Additionally, Muhammad possesses the Apple of Eden, which the modern-day Abstergo organization seeks, and which Aguilar eventually retrieves and passes on to Christopher Columbus. While Muhammad’s involvement in the movie relies on his possession of the Apple, in real life, he played a significant part in the conflict between Castile and Granada. As the last Muslim ruler of Granada and the Iberian Peninsula, Muhammad XII’s historical role is noteworthy.

Muhammad XII ascended to the position of Sultan of the Emirate of Granada in 1482, succeeding his father amid court intrigue and unrest. However, his reign was short-lived when, in an attempt to establish his reputation, he launched an invasion of Castile and was captured the following year. After striking a deal with the Castilian Catholics, Muhammad returned to his throne in 1487, but Granada gradually fell under Castilian control. In 1492, Muhammad XII was compelled to surrender Granada to Castile, leading to his exile in Morocco.

The Real-Life Tomás de Torquemada and His Fate

In Assassin’s Creed, Muhammad XII’s adversary is not Isabella and Ferdinand of Castile, but rather Tomás de Torquemada, the first Grand Inquisitor of the Tribunal of the Holy Office, also known as the Spanish Inquisition. In the film, Tomás leads the Knights Templar and the Inquisition, kidnapping Prince Ahmed to coerce Muhammad XII into handing over the Apple of Eden. Although Tomás did not have any direct association with the real Knights Templar or the Order of Assassins, his historical infamy as a villainous figure is what led to his inclusion in both Assassin’s Creed and the 2009 game Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery.

As mentioned earlier, Tomás de Torquemada served as the leader of the Spanish Inquisition from 1483 to 1498. The Inquisition employed various methods of torture and murder to enforce Catholic conversion among Spanish citizens, with Tomás being an instrumental figure in carrying out painful and cruel executions. One particularly notorious practice was the public ritual known as the auto-da-fé, which often culminated in death by burning. Eventually, Tomás retired to a monastery and remained the Grand Inquisitor until his death in 1498. The separate histories of Tomás de Torquemada, Muhammad XII, and the Order of Assassins intertwine to form the foundation of the Assassin’s Creed storyline.

All About Assassin’s Creed 

Assassin’s Creed is a renowned video game franchise developed by Ubisoft, primarily by their studio Ubisoft Montreal. The series falls under the genres of open-world, action-adventure, and stealth, and utilizes the Anvil game engine and its advanced derivatives. The creators of Assassin’s Creed, Patrice Désilets, Jade Raymond, and Corey May, have crafted an immersive fictional universe that revolves around a centuries-old conflict between the Order of Assassins and the Knights Templar. While the games incorporate historical fiction, science fiction, and fictional characters, they are intricately intertwined with real-world historical events and figures. Taking inspiration from the novel “Alamut” by Vladimir Bartol, which delves into the history of the Hashashin sect in the medieval Middle East, Assassin’s Creed has been widely regarded as a spiritual successor to the Prince of Persia series.

The franchise debuted in 2007 with the release of the first Assassin’s Creed game, and since then, it has expanded to include a total of twelve main games, with the most recent installment being Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in 2020. The gameplay in Assassin’s Creed takes place in expansive open-world environments and is experienced from a third-person perspective. Players engage in a variety of activities, including combat, stealth, and exploration, with parkour mechanics playing a prominent role in navigating the game world. Alongside the main missions, players can also undertake side missions, and certain titles offer competitive and cooperative multiplayer game modes.

Each entry in the series introduces a new story and often explores different time periods, accompanied by corresponding gameplay mechanics. The overarching narrative of the franchise can be divided into three main story arcs. The initial five games follow the journey of Desmond Miles, a descendant of significant Assassins from history. Desmond uses a device called the Animus to relive the memories of his ancestors and seeks out powerful artifacts known as Pieces of Eden. Concurrently, he attempts to prevent a catastrophic event tied to the 2012 phenomenon, which is said to bring about humanity’s downfall. From Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag to Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, the focus shifts to Assassin initiates and Abstergo employees, who utilize the Helix software to explore genetic memories and aid the Templars and Assassins in their search for Pieces of Eden in the modern world. The most recent games, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Valhalla, follow the story of Layla Hassan, a former Abstergo employee, on her quest to avert another impending disaster and save humanity.

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has received acclaim for its stunning visuals, engaging game design, and intricate narratives. While the series has been praised for its ambition, it has also faced criticism for its annual release cycle, occasionally technical issues, and the shift towards role-playing mechanics in later titles. Nevertheless, Assassin’s Creed has garnered numerous awards and nominations, including several Game of the Year accolades. Commercially, the franchise has been a tremendous success, selling over 200 million copies as of September 2022, making it Ubisoft’s top-selling franchise and one of the highest-selling video game franchises of all time. While the main games are developed for major consoles and desktop platforms, spin-off games have been released for consoles, mobile devices, and handheld platforms. Additionally, a variety of supplementary materials such as art books, encyclopedias, comics, novelizations, and novels have enriched the Assassin’s Creed universe. In 2016, a live-action film adaptation of the series, titled Assassin’s Creed, was brought to the big screen

Cast and Characters

Actor

Characters

Michael Fassbender

Aguilar de Nerha/Callum Lynch

Marion Cotillard

Sofia Rikkin

Jeremy Irons

Alan Rikkin

Charlotte Rampling

Ellen Kaye

Brendan Gleeson

Joseph Lynch

Brian Gleeson

Young Joseph Lynch

Essie Davis

Mary Lynch

Michael K. Williams

Moussa/Baptiste

Ariane Labed

María

Matias Varela

Emir

Carlos Bardem

Benedicto

Denis Ménochet

McGowen

Hovik Keuchkerian

Ojeda

Javier Gutiérrez

Tomás de Torquemada

Callum Turner

Nathan

Michelle H. Lin

Lin

Khalid Abdalla

Muhammad XII of Granada

Thomas Camilleri

Ferdinand II of Aragon

Marysia S. Peres

Isabella I of Castile

Synopsis

During the Granada War in 1492 Andalusia, Aguilar de Nerha joins the Assassins Brotherhood and is given the task of safeguarding Prince Ahmed de Granada from the Knights Templar. In 1986, Callum Lynch, a teenager, witnesses his father Joseph, an Assassin in the present day, killing his mother. Subsequently, gunmen led by Alan Rikkin, CEO of the Templars’ Abstergo Foundation, arrive to apprehend Joseph. Joseph convinces Callum to escape, leading to a faked execution.

In 2016, Callum, now imprisoned and sentenced to death for killing a pimp, is rescued by the Abstergo Foundation, which takes him to their research facility in Madrid. He discovers that the Templars are seeking the Apple of Eden, a powerful artifact capable of controlling humanity’s free will to eliminate violence. Callum learns that he is a descendant of Aguilar, the last known possessor of the Apple. Sofia, Alan’s daughter, and the head scientist, places Callum in the Animus, a machine that allows him to relive Aguilar’s genetic memories.

In 15th-century Spain, Aguilar, also known as Callum, and his partner Maria are deployed to rescue Ahmed, who has been kidnapped by Templar Grand Master Tomas de Torquemada to force his father, Sultan Muhammad XII, to surrender the Apple. Although Aguilar and Maria intercept the Templars, they are overpowered and captured by Torquemada’s enforcer, Ojeda. Meanwhile, in the present, Callum experiences hallucinations of both Aguilar and Joseph, a phenomenon known as the Bleeding Effect.

While confined at the facility, Callum interacts with other captive Assassin descendants, with Moussa, a descendant of an 18th-century Haitian Assassin named Baptiste, being a key leader. He develops a connection with Sofia, who shares her own experiences of her mother being killed by an Assassin. Back in the Animus, Aguilar, and Maria face execution but manage to escape through a daring leap from a rooftop. However, the session triggers a violent reaction in Callum’s mind, temporarily paralyzing him.

During his time in the Animus, Callum learns that his mother was also an Assassin who chose to die by Joseph’s hand rather than be forced into the Animus. Fueled by this revelation, he vows to find the Apple and destroy the Assassins. Meanwhile, Sofia begins questioning her father’s true intentions as she is pressured by Templar Elder Ellen Kaye to shut down the Animus Project due to the perceived victory of the Templars over humanity’s civil liberties.

Motivated by his encounter with his father’s projection, Callum willingly re-enters the Animus. Aguilar and Maria launch an attack on a meeting between Muhammad and Torquemada, successfully eliminating the Templars and retrieving the Apple. However, Ojeda captures Maria, leading her to choose death over surrendering the Apple. Aguilar kills Ojeda and escapes through another Leap, causing the Animus to malfunction. He entrusts the Apple to Christopher Columbus, who promises to protect it.

As a riot erupts among the modern-day Assassin prisoners, Alan orders the facility to be purged. Joseph and most of the prisoners are killed by Abstergo security. In the Animus chamber, Callum encounters projections of his Assassin ancestors, including Aguilar, Arno Dorian, Joseph, and his mother. Guided by his mother’s projection, Callum embraces the Assassins’ Creed and fully assimilates Aguilar’s memories and abilities. He escapes the facility alongside Moussa and two other surviving Assassins.

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