"Assassin's Creed" films to premier on YouTube

Ubisoft said Monday that a short film based on its blockbuster "Assassin's Creed" videogame will premier online at YouTube on October 27.

The first "Assassin's Creed" animated short film created at the French videogame titan's Hybride Technologies studio in Canada will be featured on YouTube's home page for the first day.

Ubisoft is a believer in the convergence of films and videogames, and last year bought Canadian special effects firm Hybride, which worked on animated action films "300" and "Sin City."

"The aim is to bring together videogames and Hollywood," Yannis Mallet, head of Ubisoft's Montreal studio, told AFP when plans for a trilogy of "Assassin's Creed" films were announced early this year.

The "Assassin's Creed: Lineage" film will combine computer graphics and live action to tell a tale that sets the stage for a sequel to the eponymous videogame, which will be released on November 17.

"Ubisoft is excited to share a new Assassin's Creed experience with the public," Ubisoft chief executive Yves Guillemot said in a release.

"The Assassin's Creed Lineage film series is part of Ubisoft's ongoing efforts to reinforce its intellectual properties by bringing them to multiple entertainment mediums, providing gamers with a more immersive experience."

Players of "Assassin's Creed II" will take on the fantasy role of a master assassin in Renaissance Italy. The videogame's characters include famed artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci.