World War Z 2: Fans Should Be Outraged Over the Zombie Sequel’s Epic Fail

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.

A Box Office Hit 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.

Development Hell: The Struggle Of World War Z 2

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.”

So, if the actors and fans want it, hopefully, a World War Z sequel can still be made. We think it should, and we’re excited to return to the world of the first film as soon as possible.

What We’d Love to See in 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.

Will World War Z 2 Ever Happen?

There’s still a slim chance of World War Z 2 becoming a reality in some way or another. All the points we discussed before could easily apply to any form of continuation of the 2013 film, so let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope we don’t have to wait too long for some answers from the zombie apocalypse! There is no doubt that horror movie fans would love to see a World War Z 2. If Paramount isn’t willing to do it, it is always possible that Brad Pitt’s own production team at Plan B could be the ones to do it.

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Do you want a World War Z 2? Should Brad Pitt return in the World War Z sequel? Should David Fincher direct?