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Created page with "{{Short description|American military action film franchise based on the video game series}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox film series | title = Call of Duty | image = | caption = Official franchise logo | creator = Activision Blizzard Studios | origin = ''Call of Duty'' (video game series) | owner = Activision | years = 2024–present | films = * ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare'' (2024) * ''Cal..."

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{{Short description|American military action film franchise based on the video game series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox film series
| title = Call of Duty
| image =
| caption = Official franchise logo
| creator = Activision Blizzard Studios
| origin = ''[[Call of Duty]]'' (video game series)
| owner = [[Activision]]
| years = 2024–present
| films =
* ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare'' (2024)
* ''Call of Duty: Black Ops'' (2026)
* ''Call of Duty: Ghost Recon'' (2028)
}}

The '''''Call of Duty'' film series''' is an American military action franchise based on the ''[[Call of Duty]]'' video game series published by [[Activision]]. Produced by Activision Blizzard Studios in collaboration with [[Paramount Pictures]], the franchise began with '''''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare''''' in 2024 and has since expanded into a multi-film universe depicting fictionalized global conflicts, counterterrorism operations, and covert-ops missions. While loosely inspired by the narrative tones of the games, the films follow original storylines, characters, and interpretations of modern warfare.

The series has received praise for its practical effects, stunt choreography, and large-scale battlefield sequences, while drawing criticism for narrative simplicity and heightened militaristic depiction. As of 2025, the franchise has grossed over $2.1 billion worldwide.

== Films ==

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center; margin=auto; width:100%;"
! rowspan="2" width="15%" | Film
! rowspan="2" width="10%" | Release date
! rowspan="2" width="12%" | Director(s)
! colspan="2" width="30%" | Writer(s)
! rowspan="2" width="15%" | Producer(s)
! rowspan="2" width="18%" | Composer(s)
|-
! width="15%" | Story
! width="15%" | Screenplay
|-

! scope="row" | ''[[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2024 film)|Call of Duty: Modern Warfare]]''
| {{Date table sorting|June 14, 2024}}
| James Raleigh
| Raleigh & David Kemper
| David Kemper, Leigh Stanton & J.R. Foley
| Brad Huxley & Miles Carter
| [[Ramin Djawadi]]
|-

! scope="row" | ''Call of Duty: Black Ops''
| {{Date table sorting|August 7, 2026}}
| Chad Stahelski
| Stahelski & Mara Ellison
| Ellison, Kyle Vance & Tony Rourke
| Dana Kehr & Alex Fry
| [[Lorne Balfe]]
|-

! scope="row" | ''Call of Duty: Ghost Recon''
| {{Date table sorting|May 19, 2028}}
| Karyn Kusama
| Kusama & Jonah Pike
| Pike, Rae Sutton & Marcus Hale
| Benjamin Colt & Aria Dawson
| [[Hildur Guðnadóttir]]
|-

! scope="row" | ''Call of Duty: Vanguard''
| {{TBA}}
| Lena Darrow<hr>''Co-directed by:'' Felix Wren
| Darrow
| Darrow, Wren & Samuel Keene
| Wren, Darrow & Jonathan Cray
| [[John Powell]]
|-

! scope="row" | ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II''
| {{TBA}}
| James Raleigh
| Raleigh, Ellison & Kyle Rourke
| Ellison, Rourke & Leigh Stanton
| Brad Huxley
| Ramin Djawadi & Lorne Balfe
|-

! scope="row" | ''Call of Duty: Black Ops — Mindfall''
| {{TBA}}
| Chad Stahelski<hr>''Co-directed by:'' Karyn Kusama
| Stahelski & Kusama
| Ellison, Kemper, Molina & Stahelski
| Dana Kehr & Miles Carter
| Hildur Guðnadóttir
|}
== Future ==
Following the commercial success of the early installments, Activision Blizzard Studios has stated its intention to transform the ''Call of Duty'' films into an ongoing, multi-genre action franchise. According to industry reports, the studio’s long-term roadmap involves developing films set across different historical periods, technological eras, and geopolitical climates rather than relying on a single continuous storyline. Executives have emphasized that future entries will continue the anthology-style structure while preserving tonal consistency through shared themes of military ethics, global instability, and covert operations.

One of the major expansions under consideration is a return to World War II narratives, drawing on the visual identity and emotional character focus seen in the ''Call of Duty: Vanguard'' video game. Early concept art leaked from pre-production meetings suggests an ensemble-driven film centered on multinational Allied special forces, with an emphasis on personal sacrifice and mid-war espionage. Although no release window has been announced, studio sources indicate that scripting has quietly progressed through multiple drafts.

In parallel, Activision has explored the possibility of a near-future thriller grounded in cyberwarfare, autonomous weapons, and information manipulation. Rather than adopting the science-fiction slant of some later ''Call of Duty'' titles, this project reportedly aims for a grounded depiction of emerging military technologies, focusing on the destabilizing impact of hybrid digital conflict. Writers attached to the early development phase have described it as the franchise’s “most politically immediate” concept to date.

Sequels to both ''Modern Warfare'' and ''Black Ops'' remain active topics of internal discussion. A follow-up to the 2024 film is expected to delve deeper into the multinational task force introduced in the original, expanding its focus from counterterrorism to interstate covert operations. Meanwhile, a second entry in the ''Black Ops'' sub-series may explore psychological conditioning programs and deep-state interventions during the final years of the Cold War, building on the tone and aesthetic established by the 2026 installment. While neither project has received formal greenlighting, their development materials continue to be updated in tandem with audience reception and franchise trajectory.

As the studio refines its long-term strategy, Activision Blizzard Studios has expressed interest in building a more interconnected production model, allowing future directors and writing teams to share research departments, tactical consultants, and military advisers. This approach is designed to maintain authenticity while accommodating the franchise’s increasingly diverse storytelling ambitions. With additional scripts already in circulation and new partnerships being explored, the ''Call of Duty'' film series is expected to expand significantly over the next decade, though official details remain tightly controlled.

== Development ==

=== Origins ===
Activision Blizzard Studios first announced plans for a cinematic universe based on the ''Call of Duty'' franchise in 2015, though early attempts stalled following management changes within the company. In 2021, after several years of script development, Activision partnered with Paramount Pictures to distribute and co-finance a trilogy of films intended to reinterpret the tone of the games for mainstream audiences.

=== Creative approach ===
Despite being branded under the ''Call of Duty'' name, the films do not adapt specific game campaigns. Instead, the creative teams aimed to preserve the “military authenticity, global conflict scale, and tactical diversity” associated with the games while constructing new narratives. Each installment explores a different aspect of warfare—modern conflict, Cold War espionage, and elite covert operations—creating a loosely connected anthology.

== Reception ==

The franchise has been commercially successful, with ''Modern Warfare'' and ''Black Ops'' both outperforming box-office projections. Critics have praised the films' large-scale set pieces, practical effects, and emphasis on tactical authenticity, while noting issues with characterization and narrative depth. Military consultants who worked on the films have also commented positively on the commitment to equipment accuracy and combat realism.

Conversely, several commentators criticized the franchise for what they described as an overly militarized perspective on geopolitics. Discussions of historical parallels and creative liberties have remained an ongoing point of debate among reviewers.

== Box office performance ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Film !! Release date !! Budget !! Worldwide gross
|-
| ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare'' || June 14, 2024 || $130 million || $782 million
|-
| ''Call of Duty: Black Ops'' || August 7, 2026 || $150 million || $645 million
|-
| ''Call of Duty: Ghost Recon'' || May 19, 2028 || $160 million || TBA
|}

== See also ==
* [[Call of Duty]]
* [[Video game film adaptations]]
* [[List of films based on video games]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

Call of Duty (film series) - Revision history