World War Z Sequel: Will It Happen?

Despite the fact that World War Z 2 has had a few hiccups, including director switcheroos and a long stretch in movie purgatory, World War Z has finally clawed its way back to the top of the zombie pile. Paramount has confirmed that Brad Pitt will be returning as Gerry Lane, with Edward Berger, the Oscar-nominated director of All Quiet on the Western Front,  taking over the directing role.

This is exciting news for fans who have been waiting 13 years to hear anything promising about a potential sequel.  According to reports, WWZ2 is now officially in development, with Berger directing a script by Dennis Kelly, who has been with the project through several rewrites.

What can we expect with a World War Z sequel Plot?

Lips have remained sealed regarding any plot development, but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate on some of the content. Steven Knight, the screenwriter behind the original draft of the script, has been careful about dropping any hints, but if this quote is evidence for what’s in store, we may already know the pacing of the film:

“I think the beauty of the first film was the way that it never paused for breath. It never spent a moment thinking, ‘Hang on a minute, we’d better tell the audience what this is all about.’ It stayed in the moment, it stayed with that person.” – Steven Knight, WWZ screenwriter

Credited on the World War Z 2 IMDB page is writer Dennis Kelly for rewrites of Knight’s script. Will the pacing remain intact? Is World War Z 2 fated for extensive (and expensive) reworkings like its predecessor? Knowing that Brad Pitt will be resuming his role as Gerry Lane, leaving the door open for a sequel to pick up in the same place as the original.

What we know about the plot of World War Z 2

Not much, actually, and that seems to be intentional. Paramount is keeping plotlines under tight wraps, but this is what we can infer:

• Brad Pitt is returning as Gerry Lane, which suggests that the story will continue on rather than rebooting the franchise.
• Edward Berger is directing, making us very hopeful for a grand experience, much like his work on All Quiet on the Western Front.
• Dennis Kelly is tapped to write the script, which hints at a more psychological and tension-building story and tone.
• Max Brooks, author of the original WWZ novel, is not involved in the current draft, but fans are hopeful for deeper ties to the book’s geopolitical, oral-history structure.
• The original World War Z ended as a “temporary victory“, without a cure, which leaves plenty of room for the film to escalate into total chaos. .

What Do YOU Want to See in World War Z 2?

With the film finally rising from the dead, now is the perfect time to hear your fan theories, dream casting, and wish list storylines. Should the sequel expand past Max Brooks’ novel? Should Gerry Lane’s story continue, or should the story lead us to a new character’s struggle? Drop your thoughts and predictions in the comments. The zombies are on the move, finally!