‘World War Z’ Sequel Producers Give Update, Aiming to Shoot in Summer 2019

Despite the original World War Z going on to be a massive worldwide success, the planned sequel has had multiple starts and stops in its development. Producers of the new film Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner claim that the film aims to shoot in June of next year, though the script hasn’t officially been completed.

When asked by Variety for an update, Gardner claimed, “We’re starting to shoot in June. What more do you need to know? Brad Pitt is Jerry Lane. He’s back. David Fincher‘s directing.”

In regards to the script, Kleiner added, “Dennis Kelly, an incredible writer, wrote Utopia, Matilda, we’re working on a bunch of stuff with him. We’re still working on the script but he’s done an amazing job. We think it’s gonna be great.”

It only makes sense that the film’s sequel has undergone so many delays and schedule shifts, as the first film similarly suffered a number of production setbacks.

Based on the Max Brooks novel of the same name, production on the adaptation began in 2011 with a budget of $125 million. The film’s planned finale required a large array of firearms, which were confiscated by authorities in Budapest after the production failed to properly declare the props with the local government, which resulted in the film being delayed into the following year.

LOST co-creator Damon Lindelof was tapped to re-write the film’s third act in 2012, only to depart the project before writing an ending. Cabin in the Woods director Drew Goddard then stepped in to finish writing the film, though his new ending required nearly 40 minutes of new footage to form a more cohesive narrative.

After all the re-shoots, the production budget ended up totaling closer to $200 million. The film had intended to hit theaters in December of 2012 and was eventually released in the summer of 2013. Despite all these starts, stops, and alterations, the film went on to earn $540 million worldwide, making it a success.

Prior to Fincher coming on board to direct the film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was slated to direct, though those plans ultimately fell through.

“We were working on that project for around a year, and we had a great idea,” Bayona previously detailed to Den of Geek. “We were very excited. We designed great set pieces, and we were very excited with the direction we were taking with the film, but somehow, we never found a way to connect it all together.”

“There was a moment where we were about to start production, and I wasn’t ready,” he added. “I told them and I said, ‘Listen, I’m not the right guy for this. There’s probably another guy who’s able to take care of this in a way that the movie will not get affected,’ so I decided to step out of the project.”

With production not starting until next year, we likely won’t see the World War Z sequel hit theaters until 2020.

Do these comments seem promising for the new film? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

[H/T Twitter, Variety]