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Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison expressed his excitement, stating: “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 to 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. 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 two decades, especially in the United States. To be fair, a decade ago, The Hollywood Reporter revealed plans for Activision Blizzard Studios, a production studio aimed at developing a live-action cinematic universe based on the IP. They had even identified director 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 production, clearly looking to cash in on recent successful 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 far too early to discuss the cast for the adaptation at this stage.
