Over a decade after the original premiered in theaters, a sequel to World War Z is finally happening. Deadline reports that star Brad Pitt has signed on to return for the second film, along with Conclave director Edward Berger signing on to direct.
The new sequel, which has yet to set a title, is written by playwright Dennis Kelly, with Berger also serving as an executive producer. No details about the sequel’s plot have been released, but given that the first film was based on the novel of the same name by Max Brooks — son of Mel Brooks — it’s likely that the second film will be an entirely original story.
David Fincher was originally tapped to direct the film, but budgetary issues saw him exit the project, according to Deadline. But Berger is a suitable replacement, having not only directed the Netflix adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, but also having recently worked with Pitt on The Riders, a psychological thriller film also starring Julianne Nicholson and Danny Huston.
The World War Z sequel is produced by Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner. The original film earned over $500 million at the global box office, featuring Pitt as a United Nations investigator looking for a solution to a worldwide zombie apocalypse. Directed by Monster’s Ball helmer Marc Foster, World War Z also starred James Badge Dale, Peter Capaldi, and Ruth Negga.
With legacy sequels both in horror and outside of it, it’ll be interesting to see where this sequel takes the story originally imagined by Brooks in 2006. At the end of the first film, a vaccine had been created to prevent infection from zombies, which seems like a fitting end, but only time will tell how a continuation of the story plays out.
No release date has been set for the World War Z sequel. Stay tuned to FANGORIA for more updates.
