Upon its release back in 2013, World War Z was praised for its fresh take on a done-to-death genre.
While lesser zombie dramas lumbered from cliche to cliche, this Marc Forster directed flick gave us a fresh take; with Brad Pitt giving an impressive performance as Gerry Lane, a UN investigator forced to travel the world to find a cure for a zombie pandemic.
Drawing loosely from Max Brooks’ brainy horror novel, World War Z gave us plenty of themes to sink our teeth into; with fans left hungry to know the next chapter in Gerry’s story.
Speaking with Variety, producers Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner confirmed World War Z 2 will officially start production as of June 2019, with Pitt reprising his role.
Master of psychological thrillers David Fincher will be in the director’s chair, working with a screenplay from Dennis Kelly (Black Sea).
Speaking about Kelly’s script with Variety, Kleiner said:
We’re still working on the script, but he’s done an amazing job and it’s going to be great.
As of yet, the return of specific supporting characters has not been confirmed. However, back in 2016, Mireille Enos – who plays Gerry’s wife Karin Lane – told Digital Spy how her character would be making a return:
Yes, I am going to be in it.
There’s been some shifting [with directors] and so the schedule’s a bit up in the air, but it’s definitely happening, and I get to be in it.
And Brad Pitt. I haven’t read a script so I literally can’t tease anything. I think [there] was a director in place and that’s now shifted, so it’s a bit up in the air.
The plot is as of yet unknown, however there is plenty of terrain left to explore in Brooks’ internationally focused imagining of the apocalypse.
Back in 2017, Fincher told Little White Lies:
A lot of stones have been laid. We’re just deconstructing it right now against the mythology that exists to see where we can go.
Speaking with Empire in the same year, Fincher spoke of the importance of making a quality movie in its own right:
We’re hoping to get a piece of material that’s a reason to make a movie, not an excuse to make a movie.
Movie buffs have been abuzz with excitement at the prospect of Pitt and Fincher working together once more in the near future, in what will mark their fourth movie collaboration.
One person tweeted:
Ok, now I’m in. Going to watch the first one. Fincher is an absolute steal. #thebest
Another whooped:
Yes! David Fincher and Brad Pitt together again! And Benjamin Button doesn’t count because I had no interest in that one. That was a ‘let’s win an award’ movie.
No release date has been confirmed as of yet, but we will make sure to update you as soon as the first gnashing of zombie teeth can be heard.
Fans have been waiting for a long time for this sequel, with many giving up hope of it happening at all. Let’s just hope the grisly resurrection is worth the wait!
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.