J.A. Bayona's "World War Z" sequel hits theaters on June 9, 2017. (Photo : Instagram/slug_line)
It's confirmed - David Fincher is helming "World War Z 2." Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions are moving forward with the zombie sequel, with Brad Pitt reprising his role a Gerry Lane.
According to Variety, although the movie has not been officially green lit yet, Jim Gianopulos is expected to do so in the upcoming weeks. Production for the film is expected to start in 2018.
Fincher has been the top contender to helm "World War Z 2," and it was reported that Pitt has long been courting Fincher to work on the film. Fincher is a frequent collaborator with Pitt, having worked together on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Fight Club." J.A. Bayona was previously tapped to direct, but he dropped out to focus on "Jurassic World" instead.
"There's a script that we're incredibly happy with, and it's just getting a couple of key deals closed... We hope [Fincher] makes the movie," Skydance Media CEO David Ellison told Collider prior to Fincher's confirmation. Meanwhile, Fincher has always expressed a positive view on working on the sci-fi zombie sequel.
Fincher's addition to "World War Z 2" has generated more buzz for the film, especially considering Fincher's previous work on "The Social Network" and "Gone Girl."
For now, it remains unclear who is writing the latest draft of "World War Z 2," but previous reports suggest that Steven Knight submitted an earlier draft of the script.
"World War Z" made $540 million worldwide. It received lukewarm response and mixed reviews from critics. The film, which was directed by Marc Foster, encountered several problems during production and reshoots had to be done as they struggled with the build up for the movie's third act.
The sequel, however, is expected to work on a budget less than the $190 million allotted for the first film. Pitt is producing "World War Z 2" together with Ellison, Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner. The movie was initially scheduled for release in 2017, but has been moved to an unspecified date.
