Paramount Pictures is reportedly in early discussions to acquire the film rights to Activision’s long-running Call of Duty franchise. While neither side has confirmed the talks, several industry insiders suggest negotiations have begun in the wake of Paramount’s recent merger with Skydance Media, which has positioned the studio to lean heavily on major IPs.

The idea of bringing Call of Duty to the big screen is hardly new. Activision first explored a movie adaptation nearly a decade ago, even attaching Sicario: Day of the Soldado director Stefano Sollima to the project. That attempt, however, fizzled out in 2020, leaving the franchise without a clear cinematic future.

Now, Paramount appears eager to fill that gap. The studio has a proven track record with military-driven action blockbusters, from the Top Gun revival to its steady stream of Mission: Impossible sequels. A Call of Duty adaptation could slot neatly into that line-up, especially as Paramount Skydance works to bolster its theatrical slate with recognizable, global brands.

The potential draw is obvious. Since its 2003 debut, Call of Duty has sold over 400 million copies worldwide, making it one of the most successful entertainment properties of all time. Its Modern Warfare and Black Ops sub-series are particularly popular, offering the kind of grounded yet cinematic storytelling that could translate well to film.

Still, challenges remain. Video game adaptations have always faced the risk of alienating both fans and general audiences if the balance between faithful storytelling and mass-market appeal isn’t struck. With Call of Duty lacking a single iconic protagonist unlike Halo’s Master Chief or The Last of Us’ Joel and Ellie Paramount would likely need to decide whether to adapt an existing storyline or craft an original narrative within the game’s military universe.

For now, sources stress that talks are preliminary and far from finalized. Microsoft, which completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023, still holds the rights to the franchise and would need to sign off on any deal. Given Microsoft’s cautious approach to its IPs in Hollywood, Paramount could face a long negotiation process before cameras ever roll.

If the deal moves forward, it would represent a major win for Paramount at a time when competition for blockbuster IP is fiercer than ever. With Universal finding success with The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sony pushing forward with multiple PlayStation Studios adaptations, Paramount entering the ring with Call of Duty would signal a new heavyweight contender in the race to dominate the game-to-film pipeline.

For fans, the prospect is exciting but tempered with skepticism. The franchise’s cinematic ambitions have been teased before, only to stall out. Whether Paramount can finally bring Call of Duty to theatre’s or if this becomes another false start remains to be seen.