A scene from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, the third instalment in the military shooter franchise. Activision via AP
A scene from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, the third instalment in the military shooter franchise. Activision via AP

Activision Blizzard adds Call of Duty and Skylanders to film studio projects



Activision Blizzard is moving deeper into the film and TV business with adaptations of some of their blockbuster game titles.

The first projects from the newly formed Activision Blizzard Studios will be based on the Call of Duty military shooter franchise and the children-focused Skylanders toy-game series.

The first TV series from Activision Blizzard Studios will be Skylanders Academy. The computer-generated show is set to debut next year and will feature the voices of Justin Long, Ashley Tisdale and Jonathan Banks. The studio also is working on a Call of Duty film series, with the first instalment likely ready for deployment in 2018 or 2019, the company says.

“Our releases will be consistent with the high-adrenalin … action that fans expect from this franchise, but we’re going to deliver this intellectual property to the broadest moviegoing audience,” Activision Blizzard Studios co-president Nick van Dyk said.

“This will be tent-pole action-adventure of the widest appeal.”

The move follows Activision Blizzard partnering with Legendary Pictures for a film based on Blizzard's Warcraft fantasy franchise.

The movie, about the battle between the game’s orcs and humans, is set for release on June 10 and will be distributed by Universal Pictures.

artslife@thenational.ae