Sony Emerges as Frontrunner for McQuarrie and Jordan's 'Battlefield' Movie

Sony is in talks to acquire the big-screen adaptation of Electronic Arts' "Battlefield" from writer-director Christopher McQuarrie and producer Michael B. Jordan, following a multi-studio bidding war. Sony declined to comment on the negotiations. TheWrap first reported that Sony is the current frontrunner.

McQuarrie is attached to write, direct and produce the feature adaptation of EA's military first-person shooter franchise. Jordan, the newly minted best actor Oscar winner, is attached to produce and could star in the film, though that depends on several factors.

The producing team also includes Electronic Arts' Jesse Stern, Emerald Neon's Carter Swan, Vertigo's Roy Lee and Miri Yoon, and Outlier Society president Elizabeth Raposo.

The "Battlefield" franchise launched in 2002 with the World War II-set "Battlefield 1942." The games center on large-scale online multiplayer battles between opposing military forces. Over two decades, installments and expansion packs have covered historical events, alternate history and future conflicts. "Battlefield 6," the 18th installment in the series, was released last year. Set between 2027 and 2028, its storyline pits a fractured NATO against a private military company. The game became the bestselling first-person shooter of the year — and in the franchise's history — eclipsing Activision's "Call of Duty."

The project arrives as rival military shooter "Call of Duty" also moves toward theaters. Paramount has set Peter Berg to direct from a script by Taylor Sheridan, the "Yellowstone" creator, and previewed the adaptation at its CinemaCon presentation earlier this month. That film is dated for theatrical release on June 30, 2028.

For McQuarrie, "Battlefield" marks his next mission after apparently concluding Tom Cruise's run as Ethan Hunt with last year's "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning." He is also set to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger in a third Conan the Barbarian film, titled "King Conan," and is working with Cruise on an upcoming outer-space-shot movie directed by Doug Liman.

Jordan brings video game experience to the project. He starred as Navy SEAL John Clark in Tom Clancy's "Without Remorse" for Amazon and has been developing a "Rainbow Six" adaptation as a follow-up. Before that, he stars in, directs and produces a reimagining of "The Thomas Crown Affair" for Amazon MGM Studios, which reaches theaters on March 5, 2027. He will also play South Florida detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs opposite Austin Butler's James "Sonny" Crockett in Universal's "Miami Vice '85."

McQuarrie is represented by CAA. Jordan is represented by 1v1 Entertainment, WME, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole and 2PM Sharp.

If the Sony deal closes, the studio will add the gaming industry's top-selling current shooter franchise to its slate just as Paramount prepares its own entry in the genre — setting up a direct theatrical contest between the two military franchises later this decade.