A Call of Duty movie adaptation is in the works thanks to a deal between Microsoft-owned Activision and Paramount (which recently merged with Skydance in an $8 billion deal). According to Variety, while the first order of business will be to make this film, the agreement includes the potential creation of a 'Call of Duty universe' across film and television series.
Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison said in a statement:
As a lifelong fan of Call of Duty, this is truly a dream come true. From the first Allied campaigns in the original Call of Duty, through Modern Warfare and Black Ops, I’ve spent countless hours playing this franchise that I absolutely love. Being entrusted by Activision and players worldwide to bring this extraordinary storytelling universe to the big screen is both an honor and a responsibility that we don’t take lightly. We’re approaching this film with the same disciplined, uncompromising commitment to excellence that guided our work on Top Gun: Maverick, ensuring it meets the exceptionally high standards this franchise and its fans deserve. I can promise that we are resolute in our mission to deliver a cinematic experience that honors the legacy of this one-in-a-million brand – thrilling longtime fans of Call of Duty while captivating a whole new generation.
Rob Kostich, President of Activision, added:
Throughout its history, Call of Duty has captured our imagination with incredible action and intense stories that have brought millions of people together from around the world, and that focus on making incredible Call of Duty games remains unwavering. With Paramount, we have found a fantastic partner who we will work with to take that visceral, breathtaking action to the big screen in a defining cinematic moment. The film will honor and expand upon what has made this franchise great in the first place, and we cannot wait to get started. Our shared goal is quite simple — to create an unforgettable blockbuster movie experience that our community loves, and one that also excites and inspires new fans of the franchise.
It could be rightly said that Hollywood took far longer than expected to catch up with the entertainment behemoth that is Call of Duty, which has been dominating gaming charts for nearly twenty years, especially in the United States. To be fair, a decade ago, The Hollywood Reporter revealed the foundation of Activision Blizzard Studios, a production studio that was supposed to work on a live action cinematic universe based on the IP. They had even identified a director, Italian filmmaker Stefano Sollima, who directed 2018's Sicario: Day of the Soldado. However, this project eventually got put on hold, and Activision Blizzard Studios was shut down in 2021.
This time around, Activision has decided to outsource the production, clearly looking to cash in on the successful recent streak of gaming adaptations across cinema and TV (Uncharted, The Last of Us, Fallout, Sonic, Super Mario Bros.).
Meanwhile, this year's Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 campaign already features a few renowned actors, such as Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Rooker, Kiernan Shipka, and Frankie Adams. It is way too early to talk about the cast for the adaptation, though.
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