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Brad Pitt Officially Cast in Marc Forster's World War Z Movie

by Alex Billington
July 22, 2010
Source: MTV, Bleeding Cool

Some hot movie news right off the Comic-Con showfloor to report tonight that should make some zombie fans happy. Both Bleeding Cool and MTV heard straight from World War Z author Max Brooks tonight that not only is the big screen version of the bestselling zombie book World War Z finally moving forward, set to hit theaters in summer 2012, but that Brad Pitt is officially signed on to star. You may remember that Pitt's production company Plan B was the one that picked up the rights and has been developing this, with Quantum of Solace's Marc Forster still attached to direct (presumably after he finishes Disconnect).

MTV actually published a few quotes from Brooks that seem quite optimistic, which should be great news for any fans of the book, especially because we thought this adaptation had been put on the backburner.

"I can't believe how cool Paramount has been to me and these projects, and how cool Plan B has been," said Brooks when asked for his reaction to the news.

"I'm glad they took their time, and are trying to make the best zombie movie they can," said Brooks. "I'm so glad they stayed with the project and so glad they found the right team."

This is going to have be really good to actually live up to all of the expectations fans of the book have, but I think it's certainly possible and it's glad to hear that Brooks is optimistic as well. And to make things even better, Brooks said that Paramount has also optioned Brooks' other books: The Zombie Survival Guide and The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks. So if World War Z is successful, they will look at adapting those as well, I'm guessing? World War Z is a popular book that contains numerous stories told by survivors of a worldwide apocalyptic war with the zombies. The original script was written by J. Michael Straczynski (he talks about it here), and recently rewritten by Matthew Michael Carnahan (The Kingdom, State of Play).

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qweqwu

interesting choice...
Ben

Hmm I assume this will be a PG-13. Normally I don't care for a films rating, but you really can't have a PG-13 zombie movie. I can't even think of a PG-13 zombie movie off the top of my head?
crumb

the only way this will be good is if they get rid of Marc Forster. fuck that guy. and make it Hard-R.
PinkSushit

i can not wait....... please keep updating
LV 426

PG-13!! where did you read such smut? i hope not, because how the fricken chicken licken hell could you film the battle of yonkers and make it a pg-13. that scean in the book was massive never mind the whole indian exodus to the shore line while the hord of millions of zombies are hot on there trail, some crazy and epic moments in the book as well as the dog trainners story towards the end which was a bit grim and harrowing at the same time. If Mr.Foster Phuxs this up i shall do a massive but quality zombified turd in to a margarine tub and send it to him just to let him know that monsters do exist........ or maybe not ) Anyhoo, Lets just hope he does the book justice and not cut any of it out including the monkey peeing on the guys head )
Ben

LV 426... I am just assuming, you'd assume this would be a pretty big budget movie and zombies flicks rarely do well (Zombieland being the highest grossing ever with about $75 million), so I just figured Paramount would take the no risk option of releasing it PG-13. But again, I am just typing my thoughts.
Creighton

Wikipedia says Paramount announced at Comic-Con that they were looking for a new director to replace Forster. Is this true?
Fisherr

Can't imagine Pitt in the movie, we'll see how this works out.
don

this film is going to be Rated-R not PG-13, i'm mean come on this is stupid to think that paramount would do something like that this movie as to be made R, but need to be R to stay true to the novel.
CJ

This is going to be Rated R all the way so make A Hard R
Voice of Reason

sounds...."cool"
Left hook and he's down!

wpw it's about time we got some news about this, I've been waitting forever. Now I do like Brad Pitt, he is a great actor, lets just hope they don't turn it into a cheese factory. what they should do is take the time with the flim or maybe even turn it into three flims.
Left hook and he's down!

wow it's about time we got some news about this, I've been waitting forever. Now I do like Brad Pitt, he is a great actor, lets just hope they don't turn it into a cheese factory. what they should do is take the time with the flim or maybe even turn it into three flims.
http://www.pewpewpew.de reeft

The first zombie film that has the possiblity / potential to get an academy award. DON'T FUCK THIS UP! Love the original material. What's your favorite chapter?
tir na nog

Great horror book,not sure how they will do the multiple characters and points of view,maybe twenty,thirty from all over the globe,which may mean some will be left on the shelf.My favourite was the submarine story,and the battle of the Bronx.Although 11's idea for a trilogy sounds good.
Chris Q.

Finally! Some news on this, for a while I thought it just wasn't going to happen anymore. Read the book and loved it, but I can't imagine how they are going to cram it all into a movie; they will probably just take the key points. Brad Pitt is a cool dude and I think he'll do good in the movie, but I just hope the movie does justice to the book.
Antoni05

was he high when he made those comments, or just "so glad"
Dan W

I'm interested in how they are going to fit in a main character into the story seeing as the book doesn't follow one person. I wonder if Pitt will be the (non)Chinese doctor that firsts encounters the virus in that small village. Or maybe he'll be recounting the stories of others? Or maybe he has wings and can fly from each crazy event to the next? Anyone have any ideas as to how they can fit in a single character? I really hope that they don't condense the happenings around the world to just happening in the U.S. and Pitt is an army officer or something and is there for all of the crazy events. But I can totally see that happening. I think it would be much more of an epic movie if they could somehow tell stories from around the world.
jeffrey Lamar

I'm reading the book right now. Hard R all the fucking way!!!
Da Man

I don't see why they couldn't just put it in the same format as the book. Brad Pitt would be the Max Brooks character. He'd fly all over the place interviewing the people who experienced all the horrible stuff and awesome events. The movie would flash back and forth between the awesome hardcore zombie action (narrated by whoever he happens to be interviewing, like that dude Ted or whatever) and glimpses of the undoubtedly awesomely surreal post-war America. That type of format allows room for the creative teams behind this flick to stretch their legs and creative a cool new world to immerse the audience into, as well as the opportunity to keep very faithful to the source material. Hollywood's always changing things that don;t need to be changed. What it really comes down to is how much the people making the movie care about the book. If they love the source material they'll make a movie the fans can get behind even if they do change stuff around. It's what Chris Nolan did with Batman, the little changes don't matter as long as you keep the core awesomeness, and make sure that the changes are equally awesome.
Samantha

I have been waiting on information on this project since I read about it a few years ago. I'm super excited that it still has a greenlight and moving more ahead with it. I can't wait to see it!
Charlton Heston

#14 The first zombie film that has the possiblity / potential to get an academy award. Why, because Brad Pitt is in it? LOL A zombie movie get a an Academy Award ... dream on son, dream on.
mcwilly

Make it hard core XXX, some hard core bloody death & guts Zombie porn! : ) Some movies need to be R, this is one.
http://www.pewpewpew.de reeft

#22 Not because of Pitt, but because of the fact that this movie, if it follows the book, is only on the visual level about zombies. It is actually about humans and about our society, about our dreams and about our strength and it gets highly philosophical at times. That is oscar stuff.
Craig

Brad Pitt? Good. Marc Forster? Very, very bad.
Toucmyinfection

@ 14 The Battle of Yonkers!! They better not screw that one up....otherwise Forster will have joined the ranks of Schumaker... ;P Other than that, no pressure!
Xerxex

Sweet, Pitt is always a great choice.
doomcanoe

ive still got drafts 1 and 2 of the script if anyone wants um email DoomCanoe@gmail.com
beavis

i don't like the choice of Pitt for this.............and i detest Marc Forster having any involvement with the movie. and if it's pg-13, it'll be lame. zombie flicks CAN NOT be pg-13 when i first heard about the idea for this last year, i was thrilled..........now, not so much. i'll hold out some hope until a trailer hits next year or so.
Cody w

Yeah not sure about this with Forsters name attached.
Nick S.

YES! if you've not read the book... well im sorry. i have no words for you.
Jimmy Love

Hell Yeah go Pitt makes these films
http://www.pewpewpew.de reeft

#28 can you upload the drafts in pdf format?
Christen

It would be great if they managed to omit all of the useless-self indulgent information overload parts, but then the book was never coherent as a story. The whole thing was just a string of events that don't progress to anything more. Don't get me wrong I love a good zombie film but it seems this one is up against quite a lot here.
jman571

YEYSYEYSYEYSYEYSEYSYEYSYEYS *explodes* I just screamed when I saw this headline. I CANNOT FUCKING WAIT. World War Z is one of the best books ever...not just best zombie book ever...I will be first in line to see this movie, and as long as they don't screw it up...oscar potential right here.
Peace Love & GaGa

Hopefully it will kind of have the same feel as Inglorious Basterds. And that Pitt's character will have a sense of humor. This could be the greatest movie ever made.
No.to.jolie

Oh dear god no..... Pitt is fine, but please dear god don't let Jolie in the movie. It'll turn into an advert for lipstikc or pout cream, although maybe she cuold eat one of her kids?
bub

The battle of Yonkers would be good and the part when the sub see's HMS victory sail again...WOW