The sequel to the 2013 zombie flick World War Z is back on track in a big, big way. It wasn’t too long ago that the sequel looked to be dead in the water, but now Variety is reporting that Paramount is close to securing a deal to sit David Fincher back in the director’s chair.
Brad Pitt, the star of the first World War Z movie, had reportedly courted Fincher to take the director’s job for the sequel some time ago. After all, Pitt and Fincher have combined on successful movies in the past, most recently teaming on 2009’s The Curios Case of Benjamin Button. But it’s only since a change at the top of the Paramount Pictures hierarchy that steam has started to gather on the project. Now, it looks like Fincher could be ready to make the World War Z sequel his first big screen directorial project since Gone Girl in 2014.
Se7en and Fight Club remain personal favorites of mine, so I’m personally invested in this one already. But, World War Z failed to match the thoughtful thrills of its source material. Whereas Max Brooks’ novel gave us a uniquely intimate yet global take on a zombie apocalypse, Brad Pitt’s movie went for a more traditional blockbuster portrayal. With Fincher and Pitt reuniting, though, this sequel has every chance of upping the ante on a genre that is rapidly feeling worn out.
