One of the more unlikely box-office success stories of this past summer, Brad Pitt’s zombie epic World War Z, had a very difficult journey to theaters. Years of development led to a long and bumpy production (including a raid by the Hungarian Counter Terrorism Centre on the film’s Budapest set) and one of the most troublesome post-production periods in recent memory, during which the film’s ending was extensively rewritten and reshot.
Most of the stress around the making of World War Z, not to mention its ballooning budget, likely weighed on the shoulders of director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace). So, as Paramount moves forward with a sequel to the film, it’s not exactly shocking that Forster has opted to step away from the project.
News of his departure from the series broke during a profile on Plan B, Brad Pitt’s film production company, in The Hollywood Reporter.
Check out an excerpt about the World War Z sequel below:
Plan B also is developing a sequel to Z, which still is in its nascent stages, though director Marc Forster won’t be back. “We are talking about it,” says Pitt. “We are going to investigate a script. We have a lot of ideas we will cull from. Nobody is writing just yet, but we are compiling our ideas.”
Though Forster was almost certainly under crushing pressure to make World War Z a success, the final product was certainly robust, and it did big business at the box office, which explains Paramount’s eagerness to continue the story of a worldwide zombie war. The director, better known for small-scale films like Monster’s Ball and Finding Neverland, clearly took on a tremendous challenge with World War Z, and it’s doubtful anyone can fault him for backing away from the sure-to-be massive sequel.
Who would you like to see take the reins from Forster for the World War Z sequel? Personally, I’d love to see what a director more accustomed to big-budget spectacle, like Zack Snyder or Ridley Scott, could do with the story, but perhaps a fresher talent, like James DeMonaco (The Purge) or Gareth Edwards (Monsters), would be the way to go.
Are you excited to see a World War Z sequel? And who would be your first choice to direct the film? Let us know in the comments section!