Paramount Reportedly in Talks to Turn One of the Most Notable Gaming Franchises Into a Movie

Paramount Pictures is reportedly in talks to acquire the rights to make a Call of Duty movie, according to journalist Matthew Belloni. This move comes as part of new studio head David Ellison’s push to adapt popular video game franchises for the big screen.

Belloni noted that Ellison’s first plan was to bring Street Fighter to theaters through Paramount’s upcoming output deal with Legendary Pictures.

Now, sources tell him that Call of Duty is a bigger priority for the studio. “No talent is attached yet (agents, prep your pitches!), and the first-person shooter I.P. seems pretty tough to adapt, but it’s said to be a priority for Ellison and his studio chiefs, Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein,” Belloni wrote.

He added that the move shows the type of youth-oriented game franchises Ellison wants to pursue.

Call of Duty has been eyed for a film adaptation before. Back in 2015, Activision Blizzard announced plans for a live-action Call of Duty cinematic universe. Stefano Sollima was attached to direct the first film in 2018, and there was talk of casting big names like Tom Hardy and Chris Pine.

Sollima told Metro UK at the time that the movie would be focused on real soldiers, not a traditional war story. A sequel was also planned, with Joe Robert Cole set to write. Filming was expected to begin in spring 2019, aiming for a 2020 or 2021 release.

However, those plans never came to fruition. In February 2020, Sollima revealed that the project was put on hold because it was not a top priority for Activision.

Now, Ellison seems ready to try again, hoping Paramount can succeed where others struggled. The studio has had success with video game adaptations in recent years, including the Sonic the Hedgehog films.

Belloni suggests that Paramount is looking to become a bigger player in the “game-to-movie” market, which is challenging but potentially very lucrative.

At this stage, Paramount is staying quiet about the Call of Duty talks, and no actors, writers, or directors have been confirmed. Fans of the franchise and moviegoers alike will have to wait for more details as negotiations continue.

This development highlights Ellison’s interest in turning high-profile gaming properties into films and may mark the start of a larger push by Paramount into video game adaptations.

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