Richtofen actor Nolan North wants the character back, thinks Sledgehammer has 2027's CoD

Nolan North, the voice behind Dr. Edward Richtofen in Call of Duty's Zombies mode, says he wants to reprise the role and believes the next Black Ops game is still a few years away. Speaking at Gamergy in Puerto Rico, North suggested Sledgehammer Games is likely handling the 2027 Call of Duty entry, which would push a new Black Ops — and any Richtofen return — to 2028 at the earliest.

North was careful to flag that this is personal belief, not insider knowledge. "I know that Infinity Ward and I think Sledgehammer has the next two before there is another Black Ops. I just don't want it to be the end of Richtofen, and I don't think it is," he said. He described Richtofen as one of his favorite characters to voice, comparing the experience to his long run as Nathan Drake in Uncharted. North also mentioned he hopes to return as Drake, which lines up with ongoing rumors that Naughty Dog is developing Uncharted 5.

The Sledgehammer speculation isn't coming out of nowhere — outlets have been reporting since 2024 that the studio is in line for a lead development slot. Sledgehammer's last turn as lead developer was Modern Warfare 3 in 2023, so a 2027 project would fit the rotation. Richtofen himself has been a Zombies staple since World at War in 2008, with Treyarch building an increasingly elaborate storyline around the character across multiple Black Ops entries. This year's Call of Duty is Modern Warfare 4, led by Infinity Ward, launching October 23 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC.

For Zombies fans, North's comments are more wishful thinking than a confirmation — but coming from the actor himself, they at least signal he's willing and eager to return whenever Treyarch gets its next shot.