Paramount Pulls the Plug on World War Z Sequel

Paramount pulls the plug on World War Z sequel

The Playlist reports that Paramount has pulled the plug on World War Z 2, David Fincher’s World War Z sequel. The death of the film follows the project’s lack of momentum, possible budgeting issues (the original cost $190 million), and a seemingly tentative studio who never put the film on their schedule, especially after investing heavily in the upcoming Mission Impossible movies.

Filming on the project was expected to begin in June of 2019 with Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) set to reprise his role as Gerry Lane. Dennis Kelly (Utopia) was writing the script. Fincher and Pitt had worked together three times before, including 1995’s Se7en, 1999’s Fight Club, and in 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

The first World War Z followed United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. The cast of the original also included Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox, and David Morse.

Despite production problems and an expensive reshoot of the film’s third act, the first World War Z was a big hit worldwide with $540 million. The film, based on Max Brooks’ novel, was directed by Marc Forster on a $190 million budget. The sequel is being produced by Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Ian Bryce, and Skydance‘s David Ellison.