The current iteration of Paramount Pictures has turned out to be a confusing studio when it comes to their horror projects. After delaying the THE RING sequel RINGS for fifteen months, they were so disappointed with its $13 million opening weekend that they immediately cancelled production on the next FRIDAY THE 13TH, after four years of development and just six weeks away from filming, as if all horror movies can expect to have the same result at the box office. (Personally, Paramount, while I have no plans to see RINGS even once, if Jason Voorhees is in a movie I'll see it at the theatre at least ten times.)
Now comes word that the studio has lucked out in an astounding way: thanks to star/producer Brad Pitt, they have David Fincher – yes, the David Fincher – "very creatively interested" in directing the sequel to their 2013 blockbuster zombie movie WORLD WAR Z, which made $540 million at the global box office. Not only that, but Fincher wants to make it at a lower budget level than the first movie's $190 million.
Despite this, Paramount head Brad Grey is "not ready" to greenlight the film.
You have a highly popular and respected filmmaker who's willing to direct a project that pretty much anyone other than Fincher himself would say is beneath him, and do it at a cheaper cost than the success you had a few years ago, but you don't hit that greenlight switch immediately? What the hell, Paramount?
As a source told The Hollywood Reporter, Fincher "really would like to do it. It's up to Paramount." Hopefully the studio will allow Fincher to bring his version of a zombie apocalypse to the screen.
If/when a WORLD WAR Z sequel gets off the ground, Skydance Productions will be co-producing and co-financing the film with Paramount (which makes the decision to greenlight it even more of a no-brainer).
Unlike FRIDAY THE 13TH, the WORLD WAR Z follow-up is not officially dead at Paramount, it's just in a waiting stage at this point. Insiders say it could receive the go-ahead for a 2018 or 2019 release.
J.A. Bayona was once attached to direct the sequel, but departed the project to helm the sequel to JURASSIC WORLD instead. Steven Knight wrote a draft of the script, while the one Fincher is on board with was written by Dennis Kelly.