Brad Pitt’s $540 million World War Z sequel is about to launch
Brad Pitt’s star appeal has been called into question recently. While he enjoyed a massive success with F1 last year, his survival thriller “Heart of the Beast” grossed a modest $20 million last week. But that could soon change, as one of Pitt’s biggest films, “World War Z,” is getting a sequel. This sequel is boosting the streaming success of the original, which, according to FlixPatrol, is currently topping Paramount+‘s charts worldwide.
Anyone who has seen “World War Z” won’t be surprised, as the film is an absolute highlight of the zombie genre. “World War Z” tells the story of former UN investigator Gerry Lane (Pitt), who is trapped with his family in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.
While trying to stay one step ahead of the undead, Gerry simultaneously searches for a way to save the rest of humanity from the plague that turns people into zombies. Thirteen years after its theatrical release, “World War Z” remains an unforgettable horror film thanks to its breakneck pace and original take on the tried-and-tested zombie subgenre—not to mention its lavish production.
“World War Z” underwent several changes during production.
World War Z is based on Max Brooks’ 2006 novel of the same name, the adaptation of which presented a particular challenge. Since the majority of the plot is composed of UN reports, there is no single central protagonist. J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5) created the character Gerry Lane to give the story more focus.
Gerry’s efforts to protect his family and find a cure for the zombie virus captivate audiences. Although Brooks Straczynski liked his approach, post-production led to Damon Lindelof (Lanterns) and Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods) rewriting the final act. The end result led to a massive production budget of $190 million, including reshoots.
Fortunately, World War Z was a box office hit. The film grossed $540 million worldwide, more than covering the costs of the reshoots. Thanks to Pitt’s performance and the unique portrayal of zombies, it also received positive reviews. When horror fans revisit World War Z today, they’ll hardly suspect that an entire team of writers worked on it or that Paramount invested vast sums in the final act. They’ll simply witness some of the most terrifying zombies of all time and a breathless race against time that keeps them hooked from beginning to end.
Brad Pitt personally selected the director for the sequel to "World War Z".
The success of World War Z eventually led to discussions about a sequel. However, it would be years before it was actually realized. Directors such as J.A. Bayona (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) and David Fincher (Fight Club) were approached, but nothing came of it until recently. In the new sequel, Brad Pitt returns as Gerry Lane, and Edward Berger is directing. Deadline reported that Pitt pitched the idea for the sequel to Berger during their work together on The Riders.
Ironically, “World War Z” isn’t the only major hit Pitt is returning to. Later this year, he reprises his role as Cliff Booth in Netflix’s “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” which continues the story of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and reunites him with David Fincher. While fans wait for these films, they can revisit “World War Z” and discover for themselves why it’s still so good after all these years.
