Activision Was Too Scared to Let Steven Spielberg Direct a Call of Duty Movie
In a move that proves corporations are allergic to letting geniuses be geniuses, Activision apparently looked at Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema, and thought, "Nah, we know better."
So, a Call of Duty movie is officially in the works with Paramount, which is news, I guess. But the real story, the one that makes you want to bang your head against a wall, comes from a new report by the folks over at Puck News. The real story is about the movie we aren't getting.
The Spielberg Pitch
Let me get this straight. According to Puck's sources, Steven fucking Spielberg, a massive gamer who apparently loves Call of Duty, actually wanted to direct the movie adaptation. He and his company, Amblin, even went so far as to team up with Universal to present his grand vision for the franchise directly to Activision.
This is the filmmaking equivalent of winning the lottery. You have one of the most successful and beloved directors of all time, a man who knows how to create iconic blockbusters, knocking on your door with a passion for your project. You say yes. You say yes and you don't stop saying yes. Unless you're Activision, apparently.
Too Much Genius, Not Enough Control
Here's where it all went wrong. Bringing Spielberg on board means agreeing to the legendary "Spielberg Deal." That deal reportedly includes the full package: final cut, total control over production and marketing, and a paycheck that would make a small country blush.
This, according to the report, "spooked" the team at Activision. They were afraid of losing control over their multi-billion dollar baby. The idea of letting a master filmmaker have the final say on a film was apparently more terrifying than any airdropped Juggernaut.
A Safer, Blander Bet
So, instead of getting a Spielberg-helmed epic, Activision went with a pitch from Paramount that offered them much more control over the entire process. Because if there's one thing we know about video game movies, it's that they always turn out better when the game publisher has more creative input. That was sarcasm, by the way.
Now, a Call of Duty movie is coming, but with no director or talent attached yet. We're left to wonder what could have been. A gritty, cinematic war film from the director of Saving Private Ryan? An explosive action-adventure from the mind behind Indiana Jones? We'll never know. Instead, we get to see who Paramount can convince to take the job now that everyone knows they were the second choice after Activision said no to a living legend. Good luck with that.