Michael Fassbender leads the way in the upcoming screen take on the widely successful video game series Assassin’s Creed. The two-time Academy Award nominee (for 12 Years a Slave and, most recently, Steve Jobs) portrays Callum Lynch, who thanks to new technology that can unlock former genetic memories, discovers his lineage as a master assassin.

The visually stylish first trailer suggests a potential artfulness (matched with a complimenting intensity) perhaps not expected from a video game adaptation. Assassin’s Creed was directed by Justin Kurzel from a screenplay by Bill College, Adam Cooper (who both penned Ridley Scott’s recent Exodus: Gods and Kings) and Michael Lesslie. Lesslie previously co-wrote Kurzel’s last feature Macbeth, which also starred Fassbender and Oscar winner Marion Cotillard. Cotillard makes the reunion complete as she co-stars here along with Oscar winner Jeremy Iron (High-Rise), Michael Kenneth Williams (The Road) and Brendan Gleeson (Edge of Tomorrow).

Assassin’s Creed was shot by rising director of photography Adam Arkapaw. He also lensed Macbeth (and won a prize from the American Society of Cinematographers for his effort) and may have a potentially solid year ahead of him. He also shot Fassbender’s forthcoming drama The Light Between Oceans. Previously, he won an Emmy Award for his moody and critically admired work on the first season of True Detective (including that memorable single take tracking shot; he won another Emmy the year before for Top of the Lake.

Assassin’s Creed opens in theaters on December 21st. Check out the trailer below.