Paramount, Skydance and Activision team up for ‘Call of Duty’ movie adaptation

Paramount Pictures has officially struck a landmark deal with Microsoft-owned Activision to bring the blockbuster video game franchise "Call of Duty" to cinemas for the first time.

The agreement gives Paramount the rights to develop, produce, and distribute a live-action feature film based on the "Call of Duty" universe, which spans over 30 titles since the franchise first launched in 2003. While financial terms were not disclosed, sources say the pact could expand into multiple films and television projects should the first movie prove successful.

Although the storyline has yet to be revealed, the franchise's core identity — cinematic, first-person shooter experiences rooted in military conflicts — offers a wealth of material. Fans have speculated that popular sub-series such as "Modern Warfare" or "Black Ops" could inspire the adaptation, with "Black Ops 7" set for release this fall.

The deal follows Paramount's recent $8 billion merger with David Ellison's "Skydance" and marks another bold expansion. 

"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 I absolutely love," said David Ellison, Paramount's chairman and CEO. "Being entrusted to bring this extraordinary storytelling universe to the big screen is both an honour and a responsibility."

Activision president Rob Kostich echoed the sentiment, adding, "With Paramount, we have found a fantastic partner who will help us take the franchise's visceral action and intense stories to the big screen in a defining cinematic moment."

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With more than 500 million copies sold worldwide and $30 billion in lifetime revenue, "Call of Duty" is one of the most successful video game franchises of all time — yet has never been adapted for film or TV. Paramount hopes to replicate the success of recent game-to-screen hits like "Super Mario Bros". and its own "Sonic the Hedgehog" series.