The new Modern Warfare 2 isn’t a remake. Instead, it’s the sequel to a reimagining of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. So, while you’ll see familiar characters, the plot itself has little to do with that seen in the original game.
Is the story in Modern Warfare 2 a remake of the original, or is it new?
From what we know so far, Modern Warfare 2 isn’t a remake in any way. The only similarities it shares with the original are characters. So, you’ll see Captain Price, Gaz, and Soap in the SAS, and Zakhaev and Al-Asad are antagonists. However, the plot itself is likely completely different.
In the original game from 2009, ultranationalists take control of Russia, making Zakhaev into a hero. His former underling, Makarov, begins committing terrorist acts throughout Europe, and Task Force 141 is tasked with putting a stop to it.
In contrast, the new Modern Warfare 2 has Task Force 141 partnering with taking on the Las Almas drug cartel, which is bankrolling the terrorist organization from Modern Warfare (2019), Al-Qatala. It’s possible we may see some analogs with the original’s story, but so far, it sounds very dissimilar.
Given how different the new game is from the original material, we can only assume that a new MW3 will end up being even further from its source material if it ever gets made.