It's that time of year again—the new Call of Duty is just around the corner. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 exactly one week away from its official launch, we spoke with one of the game's core developers to learn about its cinematic inspirations, including a classic thriller directed by the filmmaker behind the new Dune.
When asked about the creative benchmarks for the tone and texture of Modern Warfare 4, Narrative Director Jeff Neges immediately pointed to a film. He told GamesRadar+, "Sicario is a work I've always used as a reference."
He added, "I always ask myself two questions: First, would this happen in Sicario? And second, if so, how would they portray it? Because the experience of that work is so vivid, impactful, and grounded. In its world, there are no absolute moral rights or wrongs; you constantly reflect on whether your choices are correct. Not to mention, whether there even is a right answer in such situations."
In the world of Sicario, there are no simple answers. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film follows an FBI task force as they strive to take down a brutal leader of a Mexican drug cartel, while also exposing the role the United States plays in organized crime and illegal drug trafficking networks across both the U.S. and Mexico.
Neges also mentioned that the team at Infinity Ward drew inspiration from films with a "more military-realistic style," such as Black Hawk Down and Zero Dark Thirty. He revealed, "The style of John Wick is also clearly reflected in this title. The hardest part of the creative process wasn't finding these references, but blending all the referenced elements naturally and cohesively, as if they inherently belonged to the same story."
Once the game officially launches on October 23, you'll be able to verify these design intricacies for yourself. In the time leading up to the release, everyone has plenty of opportunity to catch up on all the films mentioned above.