Taylor Sheridan may have inked a future deal with NBCUniversal, but the prolific filmmaker and television creator isn’t done working with Paramount yet. Announced this week, Sheridan has been tapped to co-write the script of Paramount's upcoming movie adaptation of Activision's Call of Duty video game series.
Sheridan will reunite with longtime friend and collaborator Peter Berg, who will co-write and direct the film. The two will also produce the film alongside David Glasser, who runs Sheridan's production company 101 Studios.
Paramount officially announced plans to adapt Activision's blockbuster military shooter video game franchise into a live-action movie last month. At the time, Paramount CEO David Ellison said that the studio was approaching the film "with the same disciplined, uncompromising commitment to excellence that guided our work on Top Gun: Maverick, ensuring it meets the exceptionally high standards this franchise and its fans deserve."
“I can promise that we are resolute in our mission to deliver a cinematic experience that honors the legacy of this one-in-a-million brand – thrilling longtime fans of Call of Duty while captivating a whole new generation," he assured.
Bringing Sheridan and Berg on board is a promising sign, as both are prominent creators in Hollywood. Sheridan, an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and Emmy-nominated producer, is the creator, writer, director, and executive producer of multiple record-breaking Paramount Network series, including Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, 1883, 1923, Lioness, and Landman. Berg's resume is equally impressive, as he directed multiple acclaimed feature films such as Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, and Patriots Day.
Call of Duty is one of the biggest video game franchises of all time, with over 500 million copies sold globally. It's been the No. 1 best-selling video game series in the United States for 16 consecutive years.
A game's popularity doesn't always directly translate to a successful movie or television series, but there's reason for optimism with Sheridan and Berg at the head of the creative table. The duo has a proven track record both individually and as co-creators. They previously worked together on Hell or High Water, which received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay, as well as on Wind River.
At this point, it's still unclear if the Call of Duty movie will feature an original story or adapt the plot of one of the video game franchise's subseries, such as Black Ops or Modern Warfare.
"The film will honor and expand upon what has made this franchise great in the first place, and we cannot wait to get started," Activision president Rob Kostich said during last month's announcement. "Our shared goal is quite simple — to create an unforgettable blockbuster movie experience that our community loves, and one that also excites and inspires new fans of the franchise.”