Sony reportedly in talks to develop live-action Battlefield film

With the resurgence of film adaptations based on popular video game IPs, we’ve seen countless projects being announced from all corners of the industry. Joining the ever-growing list of productions, EA is reportedly in talks with Sony Pictures to develop a live-action adaptation of their evergreen Battlefield series – with Michael B. Jordan potentially starring in the film.

As reported by publication TheWrap, EA has been shopping around its Battlefield IP to various major media giants with the hopes of producing a film adaptation based on the popular FPS series. While the list of interested parties included Warner Bros. Discovery; Amazon MGM; Universal and Netflix, Sony Pictures have reportedly come out on top following a months-long bidding war.

While things are still in its early stages, a number of names are already attached to the project, with Christopher McQuarrie said to be serving as the film’s writer, producer and director. For the uninitiated, McQuarrie is well known in the action movie scene, having written and directed the four most recent Mission Impossible films alongside the original Jack Reacher. As a writer, McQuarrie has also worked on the 1995 classic The Usual Suspects; 2014’s underrated Edge of Tomorrow and Top Gun Maverick.

Beyond this, the only other major name attached currently is Oscar-winner Michael B. Jordan (known for the likes of Black Panther; Creed; Fruitvale Station and Sinners). According to TheWrap, Jordan will serve as a producer, though may also wind up starring in the film.

The announcement of a Battlefield film from Sony is interesting, especially as Paramount Pictures is currently working on a live-action film adaptation based on BF's life-long competitor Call of Duty (a franchise now owned by Microsoft).

What exactly a Battlefield film will look like remains to be seen. Even amongst multiplayer-focused FPS franchises such as COD, Battlefield is not known for its compelling narratives.

That said, between the likes of its WW1/2 games; modern military offerings; and near future warfares, there should be a solid story which can be told. It will be interesting to see whether they choose to adapt something like Bad Company’s campaign, or if they will opt for an entirely original story.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this announcement? Between COD and Battlefield, which of the two do you reckon will tell a better story? What’s your favourite BF campaign? Let us know down below.

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