The Call of Duty movie ties back to Modern Warfare.

Activision and Paramount have officially announced that the upcoming Call of Duty movie will draw inspiration from the Modern Warfare series. While this choice makes sense for a film adaptation, it also highlights a trend where the Call of Duty franchise seems to be stuck in a loop, recycling the same concepts for the foreseeable future.

This news broke during Fanatics Fest on July 18, where director Peter Berg participated in a panel titled “Call of Duty in Culture.” He mentioned iconic characters like Captain Price, Soap, Gaz, Alex Keller, General Shepherd, and Ghost, suggesting that the film will incorporate familiar elements from the games. Given that Modern Warfare is one of the franchise’s most beloved sub-series, it’s not surprising that Paramount opted for this direction.

However, while the connection to Modern Warfare isn’t shocking, it has dampened my enthusiasm for the project. With eight out of the last nine Call of Duty titles being part of either the Modern Warfare or Black Ops series, I find myself feeling fatigued. Each game may offer a unique campaign and its own gameplay innovations, but the close release schedule makes them feel less memorable and distinct.

I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. Activision seemed to recognize the mixed reception of Black Ops 7 and announced intentions to avoid releasing games in the same sub-series consecutively. I had hoped this would lead to a broader exploration beyond the most frequently revisited Call of Duty brands. Unfortunately, the announcement of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and the film’s ties to that sub-series suggest that Activision is hesitant to break away from its established formulas.

In the short term, I believe this first movie could find success by tapping into the existing Modern Warfare fanbase. However, as time goes on, I think more fans will realize that each new Modern Warfare installment—whether a game or a movie—feels increasingly less special than its predecessors.

The Call of Duty movie is scheduled to hit theaters on June 30, 2028.