Following the announcement of Paramount’s upcoming Call of Duty film, the gaming franchise’s direct competitor, Battlefield, is also gearing up for its big-screen transition, with Christopher McQuarrie and Michael B. Jordan teaming up to helm its movie adaptation.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, McQuarrie is attached to direct, write and produce the project, with Jordan signing on to produce and possibly star in. McQuarrie and other members of the project’s team have reportedly been busy pitching to potential studios, with sources stating that Apple, Sony, and potentially even Netflix are among the big names the project is being pitched to. Bidding is currently in progress, and Battlefield is currently aiming for a theatrical release, so it remains to be seen whether this would affect which studio would eventually take it on.
Either way, the Battlefield film project looks to be in decent hands for now, with McQuarrie no stranger to the action genre, having been a frequent collaborator with superstar Tom Cruise and directing four Mission: Impossible films, alongside 2012’s Jack Reacher. Jordan has also become familiar with pulling double duty over the years, previously producing and starring in 2023’s Creed III and the 2021 military thriller Without Remorse.
A staple of the first-person shooter gaming space, the Battlefield franchise made its debut in 2002 as the World War II game Battlefield 1942, and would go on to become a genre mainstay over the years, expanding its scope to the modern day and even the future with more recent titles. The franchise has always been locked in a heated rivalry with fellow FPS giant, Call of Duty, and now that both franchises are making their way to the big screen, this fight has expanded to become one for cinematic supremacy, too.
Of course, Paramount could very well be on the list of potential studios to take on the project, as having the reins of both gaming IPs can prove a win-win for the studio, no matter which FPS giant eventually tops the leaderboard.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
