Paramount has announced a new World War Z movie is in the works, with the reveal coming during the studio’s CinemaCon presentation on Thursday.
The studio did not offer plot details, casting, or a release date, but the announcement confirms Paramount is going back to one of its biggest zombie properties.
The move comes after years of talk about reviving the franchise. World War Z had long been stuck in development limbo following multiple attempts to get a sequel moving, so Paramount putting it back on the board at CinemaCon is the biggest sign yet the studio still sees value in the property.
Previous World War Z movie was a box office hit
The first World War Z was released in 2013 and starred Brad Pitt as former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane, who races across the globe trying to stop a fast-moving zombie pandemic.
The film was directed by Marc Forster and was based on Max Brooks’ novel of the same name, though the movie took a much different approach than the book.
Despite a troubled production and major reshoots, the movie ended up becoming a global success. World War Z grossed around $540 million worldwide, which made it a strong performer for Paramount and one of the more successful zombie movies ever released.
Sequel plans have been around for years
A follow-up has been in the works in one form or another for more than a decade.
Early on, Paramount and Brad Pitt were looking at expanding the movie into more of a franchise, and at one point the sequel had Juan Antonio Bayona attached to direct. After that version stalled, David Fincher became involved, with Pitt expected to return.
That Fincher version eventually fell apart, reportedly over budget concerns. Fincher later said he was glad the project did not happen, as some of its ideas ended up feeling too close to what audiences later saw with The Last of Us.
