Modern Warfare 3 trailer reveals the return of the series' most controversial villain

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
(Image credit: Activision)

A new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer has introduced the return of a major franchise villain.

Hot off the presses after Modern Warfare 3 was finally confirmed in another trailer earlier this week, this one sees the return of Vladimir Makarov, which you will know if you have been paying to Call of Duty's social channels over the past 24 hours or so.

We can see Makarov in live-action segments in the trailer above, looking suitably threatening for a Call of Duty villain (even the dogs are barking at him!). He's escorted through a prison to receive a brand new tattoo, although how he's got access to that sort of gear in prison is anyone's guess.

The character was last seen, as it happens, in the original Modern Warfare 3, in which he was finally slain after a long battle with Captain Price. Makarov was also a chief antagonist in the original Modern Warfare 2, and was a critical part of the 'No Russian' mission, a segment which ended up being pretty controversial for years to come, to say the least.

Makarov's seen as one of the overarching antagonists of the Call of Duty franchise. At one point it was revealed the character was actually the mastermind behind World War 3, so it's fair to say coming into the new Modern Warfare 3, his reputation precedes him. 

The trailer is also interspersed with gameplay snippets of Modern Warfare 3. It's all the sort of stuff you'd usually associate with a Call of Duty game - explosions, more explosions, cars plunging into icy water, a character stabbing another character with a knife, and so on.

No matter what Makarov's up to this time (hint: nothing good), Modern Warfare 3 releases later this year on November 10. The full Modern Warfare 3 reveal will take place on August 17 next week in Warzone 2, so you'd best get the battle royale game up to date if you want to see the reveal in person. 

Check out our new games 2023 guide for a look ahead at all the other games set to launch later this year. 

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.

Read more
A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Call of Duty season 2 brings back Gun Game and a fan-favorite Zombies weapon we haven't seen in 10 years
soldiers dropping in from the sky and looking over verdansk
Warzone's original map is returning next month, but it's still not enough: "We don't just want Verdansk back. We want everything back"
Twisted Metal
First trailer for Twisted Metal season 2 starring Anthony Mackie teases the wildest character from the video game yet
Killing Floor 3 screenshots of a member of NIghtfall wearing a gas mask next to images of burning foes that surround the Big in 2025 logo
Killing Floor 3 is bringing us gloriously gory co-op FPS action in 2025, and Tripwire says it's "at its best when you are just barely surviving"
Killing Floor 3 screenshot showing a new ZED with a terrifying body augmentation
Killing Floor 3: Everything we know so far
Painkiller appearing in the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2025
After more than two decades since the last full game, Painkiller is back - with a vengeance
Latest in FPS
halflife screenshot showing a headcrab jumping at a player
Half-Life devs worried Gabe Newell "promised things that they couldn't possibly deliver" for the iconic FPS, but "they just didn't know" that they'd be able to do it yet
Former Valve exec recounts the meeting where Half-Life's publisher almost killed the iconic FPS: "Half-Life would quietly die. I was stunned"
FBC Firebreak screenshot for GamesRadar Big Preview showing a character throwing an electric shock grenade in a crowded room
FBC: Firebreak may be Remedy's first live-service game but the Control creators are going about it the right way, confirming that all playable post-launch content "will always be free"
"Valve would never ship another game": Former exec forced Half-Life publisher's hand by saying Gabe Newell and the team would pivot away from game dev
Gordon Freeman
Valve literally gives Half-Life away now, but 27 years ago it was carefully crushing its angry pirates: "None of them had actually bought the game"
FBC: Firebreak gameplay trailer reveal in Future Games Show: Spring Showcase
With an impressive new FBC: Firebreak trailer at the Future Games Show, Remedy confirms a Summer 2025 release window for its co-op shooter set in the Control universe
Latest in News
Dune Awakening
Dune Awakening launches for $50 without a stay in early access, and while the survival MMO "will not have a monthly subscription" it will have "optional" paid DLC
Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton in Hawkeye
Linda Cardellini cast as Jason's mom, the original Friday the 13th killer, for Crystal Lake prequel series
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red won't make survival games just because they're popular, but Netflix's Edgerunners anime is fueling dreams bigger than RPGs
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing female protagonist Naoe
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe actor was terrified to perform until her first mocap scene earned "a standing ovation" on set: "Maybe I can do this mocap thing"
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel may have just sneakily confirmed one of the biggest Daredevil: Born Again fan theories
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Yasuke actor says that Naoe could beat his samurai in a fight: “Especially with that big a** helmet of mine”