Activision and Paramount have confirmed that the forthcoming Call of Duty movie will be based on the Modern Warfare games. This decision, announced at Fanatics Fest on July 18 by director Peter Berg, signals a continued reliance on established sub-series within the franchise. Berg mentioned characters such as Captain Price, Soap, Gaz, Alex Keller, General Shepherd, and Ghost, suggesting the film will incorporate familiar elements from the games.
Modern Warfare is one of Call of Duty's most successful sub-series, making its selection for the film adaptation a logical, though perhaps uninspired, choice. However, for some observers, this move highlights a perceived lack of new ideas within the franchise. The announcement follows a pattern where eight of the last nine Call of Duty games have belonged to either the Modern Warfare or Black Ops sub-series, leading to a sense of repetition despite individual titles offering unique campaigns and gameplay adjustments.
This sentiment is reportedly shared by Activision, which previously acknowledged the mixed reception to Black Ops 7 and announced intentions to avoid releasing games from the same sub-series consecutively. The focus on Modern Warfare for both the upcoming movie and a potential Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 suggests a hesitancy to explore new avenues within the franchise. While the immediate theatrical release on June 30, 2028, may benefit from the existing Modern Warfare fanbase, there is a concern that the repeated focus on this sub-series could diminish the perceived novelty of future installments, whether they be games or films.