A sequel to Marc Forster’s World War Z is reportedly in development at Paramount.
When the adaptation of Max Brooks’ acclaimed novel was first announced, the studio envisioned it as a trilogy. However, the film’s troubled production ultimately forced executives at Paramount to put the brakes on the follow-up.
However, all of that is about to change. Since the movie made a considerable amount of money over the weekend, the studio moving forward with the sequel.
According to The Hollywood Reporter , studio vice chairman Rob Moore confirmed a follow-up is currently being developed. It’s amazing what $66 million at the box office and some positive reviews from critics can change.
The film’s theatrical bow in the US no doubt played a role in the studio’s decision to move forward with a sequel. As The Guardian points out, the adaptation’s performance at the foreign box office probably helped things as well.
When overseas receipts are tossed into this box office equation, the film’s worldwide total swells to $118 million. The film is well on its way to recouping its $190 million budget, a fact which may have surprised the suits at Paramount. Many had predicted the movie would crash and burn.
During his appearance at the Moscow International Film Festival, Brad Pitt revealed there was still enough stuff in the book to craft a proper follow-up. Unfortunately for fans, the actor stopped short of saying if he would return for the sequel.
“There is enough [material] to mine from the book. We could barely get a fraction of the book in [this movie]. So we’ll see. We’ll see,” the actor explained.
Despite the film’s strong performance at the box office, zombies weren’t able to take any business away from Disney-Pixar’s family friend sequel Monsters University . The animated feature scored an impressive $82 million from moviegoers over the weekend.
Did you catch World War Z in theaters? Are you excited that Paramount Pictures is moving forward with the sequel?
