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Assassin's Creed: Watch stuntman make 125 feet 'Leap of Faith'

The incredible stunt was performed by Damien Walters - whose impressive CV features the likes of Skyfall and Kingsman: Secret Service

Clarisse Loughrey
Monday 15 August 2016 08:22 BST
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ans of the Assassin's Creed franchise will have one major concern when it comes to Justin Kurzel's big screen adaptation: how exactly is that iconic 'Leap of Faith' going to look onscreen?

We've seen a glimpse of it in the film's trailer, yet a new behind the scenes clip wants to underline one thing, and one thing only, about that foreboding jump: it's all real.

"Justin wants it to be as real as possible," producer Frank Marshall says of the director. "We're going to the real world, we're not relying on visual effects." That meant enlisting the aid of accomplished Hollywood stuntman Damien Walters to take on a task usually achieved by a digital stunt double, and perform the film's terrifying 125 feet "Leap of Faith".

Walters has an impressive CV behind him, having worked on the likes of Kick-Ass, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Skyfall, and Captain America: The First Avenger. However, embarking on one of the highest freefalls performed by a stuntman in almost 35 years is a challenge even for some as experienced as Walters; with the footage revealing exactly how nerve-wracking an experience it was.

The process shows Walters preparing for the 125 feet jump by practising with a first jump of 70 feet, followed by another at 90 feet; mainly to work on the mechanics of the landing, and how exactly to ensure a safe fall. Thankfully, he was offered a little more to break his fall than a pile of hay, with a large inflatable platform placed below him. Because there really does have to be a limit to the film's faithfulness to the game, surely.

The film stars Michael Fassbender as Callum Lynch, whose path crosses with the shady Abstergo Industries as their revolutionary technology unlock his genetic memories and allow him to experience the adventures of his ancestor Aguilar in 15th Century Spain; unveiling him as a descendant of the secret society of Assassins who have been locked in a centuries-long battle with the oppressive Templars.

Assassin's Creed is set for release 30 December.

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