The upcoming Call of Duty movie, set for a June 30, 2028 release, will delve into the emotional and psychological toll of warfare, according to director Peter Berg. Penned by Taylor Sheridan, known for his work on Sicario and Yellowstone, the film is intended to be more than a typical action flick.
Berg stated that he and Sheridan aim to capture the "soul" of the Call of Duty universe, particularly its Modern Warfare entries. He elaborated that the game's narratives and characters, such as Captain Price, Soap, and Ghost, are complex individuals grappling with the burdens of being warriors. "Yes, there's violence, and there's hardware, and equipment, and there's killing – but underneath it I think the game, and the [creators] of the game, are really looking at the cost of war, the cost of having to be a warrior who’s, for whatever reason, chosen to put himself between real danger and the rest of us, and the burden that these guys carry," Berg told ComicBook.com.
Activision and Paramount announced plans for a big-budget adaptation in 2025, promising to honor the franchise's core elements while expanding its reach. Rob Kostich, president of Activision, emphasized the goal of creating an "unforgettable blockbuster movie experience" that satisfies both existing fans and newcomers.
A Long Road to the Big Screen
Discussions about bringing Call of Duty to the big screen have been ongoing for over a decade. Activision Blizzard Studios was formed in 2015 with the explicit aim of adapting the company's intellectual properties into films and television series. At one point, director Stefano Sollima, who previously worked with Sheridan on Sicario: Day of the Soldado, was attached to direct a Call of Duty film, but that iteration of the project did not materialize.
The Call of Duty movie is set to compete for audience attention with another video game adaptation, a Battlefield movie currently in development with director Christopher McQuarrie and star Michael B. Jordan. Meanwhile, Berg's latest film, The Mosquito Bowl, is scheduled for release on October 30, with a subsequent Netflix debut on November 25.