Peter Berg is setting clear expectations for Paramount Pictures’ upcoming “Call of Duty” movie: The video game adaptation will treat its soldiers as complicated people, not comic book-style superheroes.

Berg, whose directing credits include “Friday Night Lights” and “Lone Survivor,” is helming the project from a screenplay by Taylor Sheridan. The movie will take inspiration from the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” games and is currently scheduled for release on June 30, 2028.

Speaking to ComicBook, Berg emphasized that the film’s approach will extend beyond the franchise’s combat, weapons and military equipment. Instead, he said, the story will examine what war demands from the people who place themselves in danger.

“If you really look at the missions and the storylines and the characters like Captain Price, Soap, Ghost and Alex, these are complicated humans,” Berg said. “These are not, and no disrespect, cartoon characters or comic books. These are very nuanced storylines; there’s a real soul to the ‘Modern Warfare’ universe.”

The director acknowledged the violence, killing and military hardware associated with the games, but said those elements are not the full point of the material.

“Underneath it, I think the game, and the creators of the game, are really looking at the cost of war, the cost of having to be a warrior who’s, for whatever reason, chosen to put himself between real danger and the rest of us, and the burden that these guys carry,” Berg added.

A “Modern Warfare” Foundation

The “Modern Warfare” storyline began with 2007’s “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.” That installment was the first game in the franchise to move away from its original World War II setting.

Berg’s comments identify Captain Price, Soap, Ghost and Alex as examples of the human complexity he sees in that universe. However, Paramount has not disclosed plot details for the adaptation, and no casting information has been announced. It therefore remains unconfirmed which characters will appear in the movie or how closely its story will follow any particular game.

Berg previously addressed the project at CinemaCon, saying that he and Sheridan are “both deeply connected to the special ops community.” During that presentation, a sizzle reel underscored the commercial scale of “Call of Duty,” citing 1 billion players and $35 billion in lifetime revenue for the franchise.

Paramount first announced the movie in September 2025. Although the initial agreement is centered on making one “Call of Duty” film, sources said at the time that the deal also carries the potential for the studio to expand the property across both movies and television.

ShowBiz Take

Berg’s description matters because it draws a firm creative line around what audiences should expect. Paramount is working with a property built around large-scale military action, but the director is signaling that spectacle will not turn its soldiers into invulnerable heroes or flatten them into simple action figures.

That distinction also gives the “Modern Warfare” inspiration a specific purpose. Berg is not merely pointing to recognizable missions, characters or equipment; he is highlighting the personal burden behind the combat. His comments suggest that violence will be presented alongside its consequences, with the demands placed on warriors serving as a central concern.

The franchise’s reported reach — 1 billion players and $35 billion in lifetime revenue — gives Paramount an enormous existing audience. Yet the film’s still-unrevealed story and cast mean its exact connection to the games remains an open question. For now, the clearest indication of its identity comes from Berg’s insistence that the adaptation will find its stakes in human cost rather than superheroics.

What Happens Next?

With the film dated for June 30, 2028, the next major disclosures will be its plot and cast. Paramount has not yet confirmed whether Captain Price, Soap, Ghost, Alex or other figures from the games will be part of the adaptation.

The possibility of a wider film-and-television universe also remains just that: a possibility. The confirmed focus is one movie, directed by Berg and written by Sheridan, with the “Modern Warfare” games providing inspiration for a story intended to confront the weight and consequences of war.