Steven Spielberg nearly directed Call of Duty movie before deal fell through

Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan and Medal of Honor inspired Call of Duty

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Facepalm: While Paramount has yet to announce any acting or directorial talent attached to its recently confirmed Call of Duty movie, fans might be disappointed to learn that famed director Steven Spielberg unsuccessfully approached Activision about project. The publisher reportedly turned him down because they believed he requested too much control over production and release.

Multiple sources informed Matthew Belloni of Puck News that a Call of Duty movie could have been directed by one of the men who helped invent the modern-day blockbuster. Before Activision handed Paramount the film rights, Steven Spielberg's production company made an offer alongside Universal.

Details remain scant regarding the premise of the Paramount project or what Spielberg had in mind. However, the famed director wanted top-of-market economics and control over production, marketing, and the final cut. Activision ultimately chose Paramount CEO David Ellison's pitch because he offered them more input on development. Ellison indicated that the film will strive to resemble another recent successful military-themed Hollywood film, Top Gun: Maverick.

Spielberg, a huge gamer and COD fan, would have been no stranger to the franchise's vibe. The director has helmed some of Hollywood's most iconic action films, such as Jaws, Jurassic Park, and, more aptly, Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg might have been ideal to direct Call of Duty due to his involvement in the chain of events that eventually led to the franchise's creation.

Following his work on Private Ryan, Spielberg directed his game studio, DreamWorks Interactive, to produce a first-person shooter with a similar atmosphere. The result was 1999's Medal of Honor, which, along with Spielberg's film, sparked a popular wave of gritty World War II-themed shooters.

Eventually, members of the development team for the 2002 follow-up, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, started a new studio under Activision – Infinity Ward. The company's first game, the original Call of Duty, was released the following year.

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Call of Duty became one of the most critically acclaimed WWII shooters, starting what has since become the United States' most successful video game franchise, with over 500 million copies sold. Attempts to produce a film are unsurprising, especially after the success of the Super Mario Bros. and Minecraft movies, which demonstrated that video game adaptations can be profitable.

Other in-development video game-based movies include The Legend of Zelda, Elden Ring, Death Stranding, OutRun, BioShock, Gears of War, and Resident Evil.