Brad Pitt to Star in World War Z Sequel

Brad Pitt returns for a sequel to World War Z. Paramount Pictures announced the project on Friday. The 2013 zombie apocalypse film grossed over $540 million at the worldwide box office. Edward Berger directs the new movie.

Berger directed Pitt in the upcoming film The Riders, which recently wrapped production. According to Deadline, Pitt pitched Berger on a World War Z sequel early during the shoot of The Riders. Deadline reported that Berger joined the project by the end of production, and studio executives closed deals with both talents in recent weeks.

Paramount has kept plot details under wraps. The original movie adapted Max Brooks’ 2006 novel. A sequel received a 2017 release date after the commercial success of the first installment, but production never started. The project stalled in development hell before getting ultimately canceled.

Paramount confirmed that a World War Z sequel was in development during CinemaCon in April without sharing specifics. Reports indicate the property was one of three major franchises, alongside Top Gun and Star Trek, that Paramount prioritized for the big screen.

Horror films such as Backrooms and Obsession achieved strong box office returns recently. Zombie movies remain unpredictable, as 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple lost money. Meanwhile, the zombie feature Resident Evil plays in theaters following positive reviews, aiming for a strong box office performance over the weekend.

Source: Polygon