Activision and Paramount have announced that a live action Call of Duty film is in the works.
Via The Hollywood Reporter, the companies have struck a “major deal” that will see the studio develop, produce, and distribute a film based on the game franchise. No specifics have been shared about the deal itself.
As noted by the companies earlier today, the goal of this collaboration is to “boldly expand” the franchise to entirely new audiences. When asked about his future plans for Paramount and whether video games would be a part of it, CEO David Ellison told The Hollywood Reporter that “gaming is absolutely going to be an area that we obviously look towards.” This is in reference to Skydance Media closing an $8 billion merger back in early August (via Variety).
“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,” Ellison told the outlet. “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.”
The video game transmedia boom continues
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Just yesterday, Nintendo rebranded its Warpstar, Inc subsidiary as Nintendo Stars and tasked the new-look division with supporting and strengthening its transmedia projects.
According to the company, the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned an estimated $1.35 billion at the international box office. Nintendo has since announced another movie based on the franchise, slated for release on April 3, 2026, as well as a live-action film based on The Legend of Zelda, expected to hit theaters on May 7, 2027.
Other notable examples include the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise, which topped $1 billion at the global box office in January of this year, as well as A Minecraft Movie, which grossed $550 million globally in under two weeks following its release in April.
This year alone, companies announced upcoming films based on Elden Ring and Phasmophobia, as well as live-action series based on Pacific Drive, and the Assassin’s Creed and the Ghost of Tsushima franchises, to name a few examples.
In other Call of Duty-related news, QA workers at Microsoft subsidiary Raven Software secured a union contract in August after almost three years of bargaining. “Going from organizing to sitting across the table from one of the largest tech corporations in the world was a huge learning curve, but we never lost sight of why we were there,” said Autumn Prazuch, QA tester at Raven Software and bargaining committee member.
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