The upcoming Call of Duty movie will officially be set in the Modern Warfare universe, giving fans the first major story detail since the project was announced last year. Director and co-writer Peter Berg confirmed the setting during a Call of Duty in Culture panel at Fanatics Fest in New York.
Plot details remain under wraps, but the update opens the door for characters including Captain John Price, Ghost and Soap to appear in the live-action adaptation. The Modern Warfare setting now points the project towards Task Force 141, international conflict and the military storylines that helped turn the sub-series into one of Call of Duty’s most recognisable eras.
The original Call of Duty launched in 2003 with a Second World War setting, before Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare shifted the series into contemporary warfare in 2007. The storyline has largely followed Captain Price and Task Force 141 as they face threats including Vladimir Makarov.
The update comes as the games prepare to continue that story with Modern Warfare 4, due to launch in October. The new game is expected to centre on a conflict between North and South Korea, though any connection to the film remains unclear.
Taylor Sheridan is writing the screenplay alongside Berg. Sheridan is known for creating Yellowstone and Lioness, as well as writing films including Sicario and Hell or High Water. Berg, whose directing credits include Lone Survivor, Friday Night Lights and Hancock, will also direct the adaptation.
Paramount Pictures is producing the film in collaboration with Activision, with the currently untitled project set to arrive in cinemas on 30 June 2028. The deal between Paramount and Activision also leaves room for the franchise to expand beyond one film, with the possibility of future television and movie projects set within the wider Call of Duty universe.
For CultureCues, this is the update fans have been waiting for. Modern Warfare is the obvious place to begin, with some of the franchise’s best-known characters and enough material to build a huge action film around. The possibility of seeing Captain Price, Ghost and Soap together on the big screen already gives the project plenty of firepower. We are looking forward to finding out where the story goes next.
The untitled Call of Duty movie will be released in cinemas on 30 June 2028.
CultureCues Editorial is the house byline for short-form entertainment news, trailer updates, release announcements and industry coverage. All CultureCues content is overseen by founder and editor Nikki Murray.