Paramount has announced that it's working on a live-action Call of Duty movie, and the studio is promising to deliver what it calls "the hallmarks of what fans love about the iconic series".
In a press release, Paramount confirms its intention to make the Call of Duty movie, pledging to honor "the brand's rich narrative and distinctive style" and to provide "an authentic and exciting experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike".
Unfortunately, we don't really have many more details than that; Paramount says the movie will be an "unforgettable cinematic event", and we know it'll be live-action, but beyond that, the studio, along with the franchise's publisher Activision, are remaining tight-lipped for now.
We don't know, for example, whether Paramount's movie will adapt any of the existing Call of Duty games, or whether it'll be an all-new experience. There are also a range of time periods in which Call of Duty games are set, so we don't know whether the movie will be a period piece or a more contemporary one.
We can, however, make an educated guess as to why the Call of Duty movie exists. Back in October last year, Activision revealed that the series as a whole had crossed 500 million units sold, and that most recent release Black Ops 6 enjoyed the franchise's biggest launch to date.
Call of Duty games are, however, also very expensive to make. In January, a report emerged which revealed that 2020's Black Ops Cold War cost an eye-watering $700 million, which includes its initial release and subsequent live-service content additions.
It's worth bearing in mind that since Black Ops Cold War is five years old, budgets are likely to be even higher now, and so making a movie with Paramount makes sense as a way for Activision to bolster its coffers for future development.
Following on from last year's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the next installment in the series, Black Ops 7, is due to launch this November. Unlike Black Ops 6, it'll be set in the near future, and will also feature co-op play for its campaign.
