Ubisoft Developing Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon Movies

Ubisoft's recently-announced film division is already at work on 3D films based on its Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell franchises, as well as animated shorts based on its Rayman spin-off Raving Rabbids, the company has revealed. Speaking to film news publication Variety, studio head Jean-Julien Baronnet said that Ubisoft Motion Pictures is working with the producers of each of the game franchises to develop scripts for the films in line with those of the games, in order that the films might serve as a marketing tool for them, rather than the inverse. "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," the studio's senior VP of international marketing and distribution Jean de Rivieres told the publication. According to Baronnet, the projects have attracted the interest of U.S. studios and screenwriters, which he will have discussions with when Ubisoft Motion Pictures travels to Hollywood this June to further the development of the films, at least one of which the company hopes to have a script for by the end of the year. A 3D CGI cartoon series based on Raving Rabbids, meanwhile, was said to be close to a broadcasting deal in the company's native France, with preliminary talks in progress for possible U.S. distribution. Ubisoft Motion Pictures was founded in January, and outed earlier this month.