'Call of Duty' live-action film in the works
A first-time live-action adaptation of the popular military video game Call of Duty is in the works.
Variety reported that Paramount has signed a deal with the game's publisher, the Microsoft-owned Activision, to develop, produce, and distribute a feature film based on the Call of Duty universe, which encompasses more than 30 mainline games released since the original COD debuted in 2003.
The valuation of the deal wasn't disclosed.
Though Paramount and Activision's deal is focused on one COD movie, sources told Variety that there's a potential for an expansion across film and television.
COD is one of the most popular video game franchises in the world, with over 500 million copies of its various installments sold globally and over $30 billion (P1.7 trillion) in revenue as of 2022.
A first-person shooter game, COD was originally set in World War II but has expanded across different eras, including the future.
The game can be played on PC and console, while there are also mobile phone versions.
COD has multiple Guinness World Records, including being the best-selling first-person shooter video game series with 400 million units sold at the time.
The Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty 4 is the most critically acclaimed COD game, with a score of 94.16%.
Modern Warfare 2 also set a record for the fastest time for a COD game to earn $1 billion, taking just 10 days from its release.
Several video games have been adapted for the big screen in recent memory, including Super Mario, Mortal Kombat, and Minecraft. Film adaptations that will be released in the coming years include The Legend of Zelda, Street Fighter, Metal Gear Solid, and Elden Ring.
Paramount previously adapted Sonic the Hedgehog, which has spawned sequels and spinoff streaming shows.