The French publisher Ubisoft is getting into the movie business. Variety is reporting that the company has unveiled Ubisoft Motion Pictures, which is exactly what it sounds like.
The division of the company will be based out of Paris, France and run by Jean-Julien Baronnet, former CEO of Luc Besson's (The Fifth Element) film company EuropaCorp. The move looks to capitalize on Ubisoft’s catalogue of hit games, including the “Splinter Cell” and “Assassin’s Creed” series. The company also has the “Prince of Persia” series to its name, though there may be some issues with Disney—who already put out a “Prince of Persia” film last year—in regards to film rights.
“Splinter Cell”, “Assassin’s Creed” and “Prince of Persia” are not the only areas Ubisoft can draw from. The company has twenty-five years of experience and a portfolio of games, including titles from the “Ghost Recon”, “Rainbow Six”, “Myst”, “Far Cry”, “Beyond Good and Evil” and “Baldur’s Gate” series of games. With a relatively wide range to go with, don’t be surprised when Ubisoft makes its push towards the big and small screens.
Can Ubisoft break into the market with its catalogue alone? Or will they need some backing from some bigger studios, much how Disney helped put out Prince of Persia?