Call of Duty movie development just leveled up. Paramount Pictures and Activision have tapped Taylor Sheridan and Peter Berg to steer a live‑action feature based on the blockbuster first‑person shooter franchise. Berg is attached to direct, and he and Sheridan have closed deals to co‑write the script and produce alongside David Glasser. The update lands on October 30, 2025, as Sheridan prepares to shift his film pact to NBCUniversal next year while remaining active with Paramount on select projects.
TheWrap’s report underscores that the studio partnership is locked: Paramount and Activision will develop and produce, with Paramount distributing. That alignment puts the film on a clear path through development and into theatrical.
The official release touts why this IP matters at the box office: the series is the “No. 1 best‑selling video game series in the U.S. for 16 consecutive years,” with “over 500 million copies sold globally.” It also claims the brand has been “driving pop culture conversations for over two decades.” Those milestones reflect a franchise that began in World War II settings and later expanded to modern and near‑future combat.
Berg and Sheridan’s creative alliance isn’t new. The pair previously teamed on “Hell or High Water” and “Wind River.” “Hell or High Water” earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Their reunion gives Paramount a proven filmmaker‑writer tandem for an IP that demands scope and authenticity.
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Who’s Making It (and Who Reps Whom)
- Taylor Sheridan — Co‑writer/producer; repped by CAA and LBI Entertainment. Known for “Yellowstone,” “1923,” “Tulsa King,” “Landman,” and “Special Ops: Lioness.”
- Peter Berg — Director/co‑writer/producer; repped by WME and attorney David Matlof. Known for “Friday Night Lights,” “Lone Survivor,” and “American Primeval.”
- David Glasser — Producer, joining Sheridan and Berg on the project.
- Paramount Pictures & Activision — Developing and producing; Paramount will distribute.
Where This Leaves Sheridan and Paramount
Despite Sheridan’s headline‑grabbing move to NBCUniversal for films beginning in 2026, he isn’t done with Paramount. This Call of Duty assignment underscores an ongoing relationship as his current television deal with the studio continues into the late 2020s. TheWrap frames the timing: Sheridan “prepares to move his film deal to Universal next year,” yet he and Berg are simultaneously locking in to write Paramount’s shooter adaptation now.
That timing dovetails with Paramount’s broader franchise strategy following its merger with Skydance. While the merger context arrives via industry chatter, the concrete takeaway here is that Paramount still views Sheridan as a key creative partner on the feature side, even as he plans new film work at NBCUniversal.
Why Sheridan + Berg Fits This IP
Sheridan has long excelled at terse, boots‑on‑the‑ground storytelling that explores loyalty, strategy, and moral cost. Berg brings kinetic, boots‑in‑the‑mud action craft from “Lone Survivor,” “Patriots Day,” and “Hancock.” Their combined sensibilities mirror the franchise’s signature mix of tactical detail and visceral momentum. Slashfilm notes that major names such as Steven Spielberg previously “tried and failed to pull this off,” a reminder that success here demands both scale and focus.
In other words, the choice isn’t just about marquee names. Sheridan’s screenplay discipline and Berg’s on‑the‑ground action style suggest a grounded approach to combat set‑pieces, where geography, communications, and rules of engagement matter as much as raw firepower. Expect them to calibrate spectacle to character stakes, not the other way around. This framework has powered “Hell or High Water,” “Wind River,” and “Lone Survivor.”
Scope, Setting, and Story — What’s Confirmed (and What Isn’t)
The game series spans World War II, the Cold War, black‑ops counterterrorism, and near‑future theaters. TheWrap cites the official positioning that the property “started off as a World War II‑set adventure but has since transitioned to modern day,” and emphasizes its scale with the 16‑year best‑seller streak and 500‑million‑plus sales. Specific plot, timeline, and casting for the film have not been announced as of October 30, 2025.
One looming creative question is continuity. The franchise rarely follows a single lead across entries, which raises a choice: invent an original squad for film, or draw from popular sub‑brands like “Modern Warfare” or “Black Ops.” Slashfilm stresses the core challenge — the property covers “practically every major war… with no real cohesive arc.” That suggests the film may lean on a mission‑driven structure with characters built for the screen rather than strict game canon.
The Business Play
Paramount and Activision will develop and produce the film, with Paramount distributing. The goal, per the official language, is to reach “hundreds of millions of players worldwide” while expanding to new audiences — a mandate that aligns with the studio’s franchise‑driven strategy. TheWrap lists representation details, confirming Sheridan with CAA/LBI and Berg with WME/David Matlof, reinforcing that key deal points are in place.
Those metrics matter. Being the U.S. best‑seller for 16 consecutive years isn’t just trivia; it’s a predictor of awareness and conversion potential. Crossing 500 million lifetime sales broadens the international runway for theatrical and downstream windows. With Paramount distributing, the marketing cadence can lean on a mix of gamer‑centric beats and four‑quadrant action imagery.
Full Creator & Partners Roll‑Call
- Taylor Sheridan — writer/producer (CAA, LBI Entertainment).
- Peter Berg — director/writer/producer (WME, David Matlof).
- David Glasser — producer.
- Paramount Pictures — developer/producer/distributor.
- Activision — developer/producer; IP owner.
How Sheridan and Berg Might Approach a Call of Duty Narrative
Taylor Sheridan in Yellowstone
Sheridan’s work in “Hell or High Water,” “Wind River,” and adjacent military‑intelligence storytelling favors character‑first tension over spectacle. Berg’s action films lean into tactical realism and ensemble dynamics. Together, they could unify the anthology nature of the games by building a squad‑level narrative that prioritizes mission flow, moral stakes, and grounded geography.
Expect the screenplay to foreground operational choices — insertions and exfil routes, comms discipline, collateral‑risk thresholds — as character tests, not jargon wallpaper. That’s where Sheridan tends to locate drama. Berg’s camera often rides alongside units rather than above them, which could translate to intense, legible firefights that honor “the hallmarks of what players love about the games” while speaking to newcomers.
Slashfilm underlines the central adaptation challenge — that the franchise “has been set during practically every major war… with no real cohesive arc.” The absence of a single canon protagonist invites a film “framework” rather than a direct game plot lift. That flexibility plays to Sheridan’s strengths in world‑building and to Berg’s strengths in immersive, high‑stress action.
What’s Next
There is currently no production start or release date. Casting is also unannounced. Development will proceed under Paramount and Activision, with Sheridan and Berg writing and producing, and Berg directing. TheWrap’s story credits the long‑time friends’ prior work and confirms representation teams, while reiterating the franchise’s market power with its 16‑year best‑seller streak and 500‑million‑plus sales.
Bottom Line: The Call of Duty Movie Is Real — and It Has the Right Team
With Taylor Sheridan and Peter Berg attached to write, produce, and (for Berg) direct, the Call of Duty movie gains proven storytellers who can translate the series’ high‑intensity missions into cinematic stakes. That pairing, alongside Paramount and Activision, is why this project finally feels within range. Sheridan’s fans — from “Yellowstone” to “1923” to “Tulsa King” — and action audiences should keep the radar up.
Taylor Sheridan
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