Written by new-contact on Sep 3, 2015. Posted in On Location

Michael Fassbender filming videogame movie Assassin’s Creed in Malta

Michael Fassbender has started filming a long-awaited movie adaptation of the videogame franchise Assassin’s Creed in Malta. The production reunites Fassbender with director Justin Kurzel and co-star Marion Cotillard, all of whom worked together on the upcoming Macbeth.

Assassin’s Creed follows a modern-day protagonist who discovers he is descended from a long line of legendary assassins. He takes on a sinister organisation partly by accessing the memories and experiences of his 15th century ancestors.

“Malta has truly become a key film location,” Maltese Film Commissioner Engelbert Grech told Malta Today: “Assassin's Creed chose Malta following discussion with the Malta Film Commission and will benefit from incentives offered to productions filming in Malta.”

Assassin’s Creed is the eighth major production to shoot in Malta this year, according to the country’s tourism minister. Other large-scale features have included Michael Bay’s war drama 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, which doubled Malta for Libya. Military thriller The Lake, produced by Luc Besson, recently used Malta’s water tank facilities for underwater scenes.

Malta is becoming one of the top international filming locations for productions with desert and Middle Eastern settings. The country offers a competitive filming incentive and a skilled crew base, while the Mediterranean climate makes it a convenient double.

Assassin’s Creed will reportedly also shoot in Spain and in London, where the studio work is likely to be filmed. The movie is being serviced in Malta by Latina Pictures, which has worked on shoots such as 13 Hours, World War Z and Munich.