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| Legendary director Steven Spielberg on set, embodying decades of cinematic brilliance. |
Steven Spielberg has reportedly lost the chance to direct a live-action adaptation of the blockbuster video game franchise, Call of Duty.The news comes as Paramount Pictures and game publisher Activision finalized a deal to move forward with the highly anticipated film, a project that had been stalled for a decade.
According to a report from Puck's Matthew Belloni, Spielberg had also pitched his own vision for a Call of Duty movie to Activision. However, despite his storied history in Hollywood and his direct connection to the genre—having created the original Medal of Honor game that inspired the franchise's rival—his pitch was ultimately rejected. The reason? Spielberg's strict demands for final cut, complete production control, and oversight of marketing reportedly made Activision, which is owned by Microsoft, hesitant. They ultimately chose to move forward with Paramount’s offer instead.
This news is particularly ironic given the historical link between Spielberg’s work and the Call of Duty franchise. The director’s own 1998 film, Saving Private Ryan, was the direct inspiration for his 1999 video game, Medal of Honor. This game’s massive success then directly led to the creation of the rival studio that would eventually develop Call of Duty, a franchise that has now grown into a multi-billion-dollar global phenomenon.
The franchise has since expanded far beyond its original World War II setting to include modern and futuristic warfare, offering a wide range of potential storylines for a film. It would have been fascinating to see how Spielberg's directorial style—known for its dramatic storytelling and action sequences—would have translated to the big screen.