Brad Pitt Finally Got His World War Z Sequel — Just Not With the Director Everyone Expected

UPDATE (September 20, 2026): This week, World War Z 2 has officially moved past “in development.” According to Deadline, Paramount has sealed the deal with Brad Pitt to return and star (and produce through Plan B Entertainment alongside Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner), and with Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger to direct. The sequel has also found a writer in Dennis Kelly, known for Utopia and Matilda the Musical – although there’s no word yet about what the story will be.

The original article, detailing the sequel’s 10-year-long path from out of development hell, follows below.

Original Article (June 8, 2026): It’s official. At CinemaCon in April 2026, Paramount confirmed that a World War Z sequel is in active development. That sequel now has its director, star, and writer locked in: Brad Pitt is returning, Edward Berger (“Conclave,” “All Quiet on the Western Front”) is directing, and Dennis Kelly is writing the script — the most traction the project has had since David Fincher’s version collapsed in 2019. The studio had been flagging it as a franchise priority since August 2025, following its merger with Skydance, with the film’s strong streaming numbers on Paramount+ and the continued success of Saber Interactive’s 2019 game both cited as factors behind the push.

Mireille Enos, who played Karin Lane opposite Brad Pitt in the original, told ScreenRant she’s hopeful but has no official confirmation of her return: “There have been different versions, hopeful versions over these past 15 years. So we’ll see.”

Here’s the full history of why this sequel has taken so long — and why it was always worth the wait.

Brad Pitt’s World War Z might not be the first film horror fans think about when they name an iconic zombie flick, but that doesn’t mean this unique adaptation doesn’t deliver on its premise. Its focus on heavy action – and its great moments of compelling character drama – have turned the film into a cult classic now, a decade after its original release. The mere idea of a World War Z 2 sounds like an undead creature in and of itself. Last we knew, the World War Z sequel project suffered a devastating blow in 2018, leaving things uncertain for the franchise’s future. Even Wikipedia lists the film as the “cancelled sequel.”

However, that doesn’t mean that the franchise is dying. World War Z 2 refuses to go down, proving even more popular than ever, thanks to a renewed interest in the original Max Brooks novel and the 2019 video game release.

Why Brad Pitt’s World War Z Was Always Begging for a Sequel

Although it won no awards, World War Z’s imagery and action captured audiences worldwide (raking in more than $540 million worldwide, almost double its original budget) and had them clamouring for a sequel from Paramount Pictures. It told the tale of a zombie invasion in which not only could the zombies move incredibly fast (more like the running, jumping, and climbing undead), but the undead hordes could sense when someone had a disease that would make them an enviable host for the zombie virus. This resulted in the main character doing some globe-trotting to try and find a way to make the world somewhat safe again.

Inside World War Z 2’s 13-Year Road Through Development Hell

World War Z 2 has been caught in development hell for some time. In December 2013, following the successful release of the first film in June, Juan Antonio Bayona was tapped to direct the second film, with a release date of 2017, and Steven Knight or Dennis Kelly were said to be screenwriting for the film. However, these plans fell through quickly, and the film was not even in production by the end of 2017.

Next, acclaimed director David Fincher was tied to the project, and filming on World War Z 2 was once again slated to start in 2019. However, in February of that year, after six years of manoeuvring and pre-production, the film was officially cancelled, partly because of China’s ban on films depicting zombies or ghosts.

In an interview with Variety, star of the first film Mireille Enos expressed her interest in returning to the World War Z franchise as well. She also spoke of her disappointment in the fact that World War Z 2 never materialised as planned.

“We were all lined up to go,” Enos said on The Big Ticket podcast. “We had Fincher, we had a beautiful script and then it just didn’t happen. It seems like such a shame for it not to be made. The first one was so good.”

But now, Pitt and Berger’s deals are closed, giving the sequel that fans have been asking for since 2013, even if no production start date has been set yet.

What Fans Want From Edward Berger’s World War Z 2

1. The Healing Process

By the film’s ending, things are looking up for regular humans: the new vaccine essentially renders them invisible to the zombies, giving them a fighting chance against the undead. However, I’d like to see more of how this vaccine is supposed to reach every person in the world. Considering these zombies can run and even catch helicopters, things could get hairy pretty quickly for Pitt and co. in the sequel.

2. A Time Skip

Let’s pretend, for the sake of this hypothetical debate, that Brad Pitt (one of the best actors of all time) doesn’t return for a World War Z sequel. It would matter very little to the overall narrative, though, as the true protagonist in Max Brook’s novel is, effectively, the world. How much has the world changed since zombies became a reality? That’s something that some George Romero films addressed in the past and would be a logical next step for a series such as World War Z.

3. Staying True to the Source Material

Long-time fans of the World War Z novel might have been a bit disappointed by what they saw on the big screen in the movie. The action-heavy flick harbours few similarities with the book – even if it had to change the novel’s narrative style to appeal to a broader audience. A sequel could go for a more restrained storytelling approach – one that more closely follows the interview style of the original novel. It could also work as an anthology film, showcasing different tales of survival in a post-zombie world. Not only would this appease the more disgruntled fans of the novel, but it would also offer a unique approach to the zombie genre that might even be appreciated by horror fans seeking something fresh.

World War Z 2 Is Officially Happening: Brad Pitt and Edward Berger’s Full Story

World War Z 2 is no longer a question of if — it’s not even a question of when anymore, now that deals are closed. Paramount officially confirmed the sequel at CinemaCon in April 2026, and all the points discussed above could easily apply to any form of continuation of the 2013 film. There is no doubt that horror movie fans would love to see it happen. And with Brad Pitt’s own production team at Plan B now officially attached, alongside director Edward Berger and writer Dennis Kelly, the zombie apocalypse is finally getting its second chapter.

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