A handful of major Hollywood studios are going to war over the rights for the upcoming Battlefield movie, according to a new report from The Wrap. Five key studios are in a bidding war over the film: Netflix, Warner Bros., Sony, Universal, and Amazon MGM.
The Hollywood Reporter initially broke the news last week that Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie has been developing a Battlefield movie, with Michael B. Jordan on board to produce and potentially star in the film. The filmmaking team and EA have been shopping the movie around Hollywood in hopes of finding a good studio for it.
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THR had reported that a theatrical release was a priority for this property, so it didn’t expect Netflix to be a strong candidate in the mix. However, Netflix has been trying to show interest in a bigger theatrical presence. Later this year, Netflix will be releasing Greta Gerwig’s first of two Narnia movies in IMAX. KPop Demon Hunters was also a big theatrical hit for the streamer last year. Netflix also made promises to release Warner Bros. movies in theaters in its merger offer (that the company eventually abandoned; Paramount is still going through the regulartory hoops and board approvals for its bid). As a result, Netflix may offer Battlefield a theatrical release as a concession to McQuarrie.
Warner Bros. is another interesting player, as a merger with Paramount looms. Paramount will release a Call of Duty movie in 2028, meaning the film adaptations for the two rival shooter franchises could end up under one roof. I(t’s also releasing the Street Fighter movie later this year.) Warner Bros. and Amazon MGM also likely have their own reasons for wanting to continue a relationship with Michael B. Jordan. Sinners was a major win for Warner Bros. this past year and gave Jordan his first Oscar win.
Meanwhile, Amazon MGM has been backing Jordan for some time via the Creed films. Jordan is also directing a brand new take on The Thomas Crown Affair for Amazon MGM and it will hit theaters next March. He’s expected to return for a fourth Creed film somewhere down the line as well.
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As for Sony, it’s deep in the business of gaming adaptations. It has its own in-house production company for gaming projects via PlayStation Productions, though this isn’t used for every single gaming adaptation it produces. Currently, Sony is working on films for Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil, The Legend of Zelda, Bloodborne, Helldivers, and Metal Gear Solid.
Finally, Universal feels like the odd one out. Outside of the ill-fated 2017 reboot of The Mummy written by McQuarrie, there isn’t a notable relationship between Universal and McQuarrie or Jordan. Its gaming efforts feel more focused on broad, family-friendly audiences with the Mario movies, with an “Untitled Nintendo/Illumination event film” (Donkey Kong?) coming in 2028. It’s possible the studio wants an IP that can serve as internal counter-programming and target adults, but ultimately, Universal seems like the least likely candidate out of this bunch.
As of right now, the jury is still out on which studio will win the bidding war. This will be a lucrative project for any of them and stands to create a brand new film franchise if successful. Either way, the battle between Call of Duty and Battlefield at the box office will be fascinating to watch.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
