Announced a few weeks ago, Ubisoft Motion Pictures is a new division of the publisher dedicated to adapting their slew of franchises for the big and small screen. Hopefully with much better success, and higher quality, than what we’ve come to experience from Hollywood.

In an interview with Variety, the company’s top execs spoke on their goals out of the gate, revealing that Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell are being eyed initially, along with further Assassin’s Creed projects following 2009′s stunning AC: Lineage shorts (above). What’s more, these features will all be in 3D. Commence the groaning.

Jean-Julien Baronnet, head of UbiMoPic, says the company hass been actively collaborating with the producers of each respective franchise — as well Ubisoft marketing — in an effort to “identify the DNA of each game and come up with storylines that are consistent” with the games.

“We want to keep ownership, retain control over the film content, and we’re open to work with studios on the development of our projects, and eventually collaborate on the pre-casting, pre-budget and script,” he said, adding that several unnamed film studios and screenwriters in the U.S. have already shown interest.

Jean de Rivieres, international marketing/distribution boss, chimed in to say: “Our strategy is not to diversify but to bolster the appeal of our franchises — that’s why we want to make sure our films will reflect the brands accurately and consolidate our fan base while expanding beyond the games’ primary target audience.”

“We will have a script ready by the end of the year,” he added.

It’s not entirely clear which franchise is being fast-tracked first, or if they’re all being adapted simultaneously. Likewise, since it’s so early on there’s no indication of any possible release dates.

Whatever ends up happening, UbiMoPic’s productions will be aided by Ubisoft Digital Arts (formerly Hybride Technologies), which worked on the visual effects for movies like 300, and the Assassin’s Creed: Lineage project.

Variety also notes that Ubi’s Raving Rabbids series will be getting a 3D CGI cartoon series, to be made up of 78, 7-minute episodes. No word on what network will serve as broadcaster, but discussions are underway.


100 Hits