Earlier this week, Paramount announced that it had secured the rights to create, produce, and distribute a live-action film based on Call of Duty. It is not yet clear who will helm this major project; however, reports indicate that acclaimed director Steven Spielberg had previously shown interest in making his own film adaptation before the rights transferred to Paramount.
After Activision’s attempts to develop a Call of Duty movie fell through, the publisher recently partnered with Paramount to rejuvenate the long-anticipated live-action film based on the popular first-person shooter series. Paramount described this collaboration as a “landmark” venture aiming to bring the beloved Call of Duty universe to the big screen. As of now, neither Paramount nor Activision has confirmed if the film will rework existing storylines, such as those from the Modern Warfare or Black Ops subseries, or if it will introduce a completely original narrative.
Spielberg’s Influence on the Project
Despite the excitement surrounding the Call of Duty movie now moving forward, many details like the director, cast, and release date remain undisclosed. While fans are buzzing about potential candidates like Michael Bay, it has come to light that Spielberg himself was eager to take on this project. Renowned for classic films like Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park, Spielberg is a significant figure in cinema history. According to information from Puck News, Spielberg had previously pitched an idea to Activision for a live-action film based on Call of Duty, but it appears that his desire for creative control made Activision wary, pushing them into collaboration with Paramount instead.
Speculation around Spielberg’s persona as a gamer adds another layer of intrigue to the narrative. The decision from Activision to decline the involvement of such a prolific director has surprised many, especially given the rocky history of attempting to realize a Call of Duty movie. The first announcement to produce a film based on the franchise was made back in 2015, with Stefano Sollima, director of Sicario 2: Soldado, initially set to direct. However, five years in, it was made clear that Activision was no longer pursuing the film, leaving it in limbo until the recent partnership with Paramount revived hopes.
Given the decades of storytelling embedded in the Call of Duty series, the keenness from distinguished filmmakers like Spielberg to bring these narratives to life only elevates the anticipation surrounding the film’s future. Activision is also in the midst of releasing another Black Ops entry later this year, building on the massive success of last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which was the first entry from the franchise to launch on Xbox Game Pass right when Microsoft acquired Activision in 2023. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set to be available on the platform starting November 14.
