Mark Wahlberg Rumored to Lead Peter Berg’s CALL OF DUTY Movie at Paramount
Paramount’s Call of Duty movie is finally gearing up for action, and the latest rumor points to a familiar face possibly stepping onto the battlefield. With Peter Berg set to direct and Taylor Sheridan writing the script, this project already had plenty of attention, but talk of Mark Wahlberg joining the cast is sure to get fans talking.
Paramount recently secured the rights to a movie adaptation of Call of Duty, described as something designed “to thrill its massive global fan base by delivering on the hallmarks of what players love about the games, a series of first person shooters centered on military campaigns, while expanding the franchise to entirely new audiences.”
The involvement of Sheridan and Berg gives the project a very specific creative identity, one that leans heavily into grounded action and military drama.
According to reports, the film is expected to shoot next year and will take place in a modern day setting. That lines up neatly with the massive success of the Modern Warfare series and matches previous rumors that Paramount was eyeing a contemporary battlefield rather than historical or futuristic settings.
Industry insider Daniel Richtman shared that Berg is “already eyeing some of his usual stars for roles.” When you look at the filmmaker’s track record, Wahlberg stands out immediately.
The actor has starred in five of Berg’s films, including Lone Survivor and Spenser Confidential, which makes him the most probable candidate to lead this new adaptation.
Other regular Berg collaborators like John Malkovich and Taylor Kitsch could also land roles, but Wahlberg feels like the studio friendly, audience familiar option that would define the tone.
Peter Berg’s filmography includes titles such as Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom, Hancock, Battleship, Lone Survivor, and Spenser Confidential. The results have been mixed over the years but he consistently brings a muscular style of filmmaking that fits squarely within the realm of Call of Duty.
His collaborations with Wahlberg share that same pattern, sometimes landing big and sometimes not quite hitting the mark, which is why the idea of Wahlberg fronting the franchise may divide fans.
Despite the uncertainty around casting, the studio is presenting this movie as a flagship priority. Paramount CEO David Ellison said they are approaching the project “with the same disciplined, uncompromising commitment to excellence that guided our work on Top Gun: Maverick, ensuring it meets the exceptionally high standards this franchise and its fans deserve.”
He also added, “I can promise that we are resolute in our mission to deliver a cinematic experience that honors the legacy of this one in a million brand thrilling longtime fans of Call of Duty while captivating a whole new generation.”
Activision president Rob Kostich echoed the ambition behind the adaptation, saying, “The film will honor and expand upon what has made this franchise great in the first place, and we cannot wait to get started. Our shared goal is quite simple to create an unforgettable blockbuster movie experience that our community loves, and one that also excites and inspires new fans of the franchise.”
Whether Wahlberg actually ends up leading the film remains to be seen, but the pieces are falling into place.