An Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game is inserted into Microsoft’s Xbox One video game console.
Michael Ciaglo | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Call of Duty, one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, will be coming to the big screen with the help of Paramount.
The studio announced Tuesday that it had inked a deal with Microsoft-owned Activision to develop, produce and distribute a live-action feature film based on the first-person shooter game.
“As a lifelong fan of Call of Duty this is truly a dream come true,” David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount, said in a statement. “From the first Allied campaigns in the original Call of Duty, through Modern Warfare and Black Ops, I’ve spent countless hours playing this franchise that I absolutely love.”
Paramount and Activision said they will honor the brand’s “rich narrative and distinctive style” for fans of the video game franchise. Call of Duty has been the best-selling video game series in the U.S. for 16 consecutive years, with more than 500 million copies sold globally, the companies said.
“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,” Ellison said.
The deal is yet another major announcement from Paramount since it officially merged with Skydance in early August. Days later the studio announced it had signed The Duffer Brothers, the creative team of Matt and Ross Duffer who created Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” to a four-year agreement for feature films, television and streaming projects.
Paramount also bought the U.S. rights to UFC in a $7.7 billion, 7-year deal that starts in 2026.
Ellison said in an open letter shortly after the merger that the company would invest in “high-quality storytelling and cutting-edge technology” to help “define the next era of entertainment.”
