LATEST NEWS
Brad Pitt and Marc Forster's 'World War Z' is Back from the Dead?
by Ethan Anderton
March 29, 2011
Source: Deadline
Just last week we learned that the gestating adaptation of Max Brooks' novel World War Z was in serious trouble. Paramount Pictures was having trouble finding a financing partner to help put up the 125+ million budget, and if the money couldn't be found, the project would be left for dead. At the time an eleventh hour effort was being made to reach out to frequent funding friend David Ellison (of Oracle Corp.) to help get the project off the ground. Now it sounds like those efforts might pay off as Deadline reports talks between Paramount and the financier are "hot and heavy" with production potentially beginning as early as June.
Director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) and actor Brad Pitt are still very much attached to the project which follows the aftermath of a global zombie war 10 years after the conflict, where a researcher for the UN Postwar Commission is interviewing survivors in countries that were decimated by flesh eaters. Sounds a bit like District 9 with zombies affecting the population instead of stranded aliens. Here's the official synopsis:
'World War Z' tells the story of the world's desperate battle against the zombie threat with a series of first-person accounts "as told to the author" by various characters around the world. A Chinese doctor encounters one of the earliest zombie cases at a time when the Chinese government is ruthlessly suppressing any information about the outbreak that will soon spread across the globe. The tale then follows the outbreak via testimony of smugglers, intelligence officials, military personnel and many others who struggle to defeat the zombie menace.
The news couldn't come at a better time as Deadline points out the plethora of zombie-centric projects coming down the road including but not limited to Warm Bodies (which just gained Teresa Palmer), Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which might finally have a director), R.I.P.D. (starring Ryan Reynolds and Zach Galifianakis), Zombies vs Robots, Boy Scouts vs Zombies and of course a sequel to Zombieland. That's a lot of undead action , but World War Z should be able to differentiate itself from the pack. Excited?
24 Comments
1
YES!!!!! i was on the edge hoping that it would pull through. the whole basis of the movies sounds good, it more realistic then all the other zombie movies that are coming out.
Pinoi21 on Mar 29, 2011
2
Huzzah! Good news everyone!
Mrjzn on Mar 29, 2011
3
that's quite a turnaround in it's fortunes. colour me hopeful! that summary suggests that they're going to follow the book's approach to the story, rather than try something different. this i am for; like Pinoi21 says, it's one of the book's key differentiators. could mean we get a large, relatively well known cast, each playing small roles. and Pitt's continued involvement should mean it doesn't get lost among all the other Zack films. but i'm still not liking them aiming for the PG-13 cert. for example, I Am Legend was PG-13, but i think you'd need something more for WWZ.
Anonymous on Mar 29, 2011
4
Loved the book. And I agree with son_et_lumiere, I hope they stick to the whole "interviews with the survivors" theme.
Anonymous on Mar 29, 2011
5
sigh... DECIMATE means to reduce by 10%. Japan wasn't even decimated with the earthquake and tsunami. Proper word usage please - I beg you! Regarding Z - it was a meh book that had some awesome scenes which could work - but honestly the whole thing as a nonlinear or loosely interconnected narrative - barely passable. Lets hope marc Forster has a good bit O editiing at his disposal to save Brooks shit material.
Harm on Mar 29, 2011
6
barley passable? haha! you're a funny guy... wouldn't wanna "harm" your credibility by vocalizing anymore of your most valuable and highly accurate insights.
Nick S. on Mar 29, 2011
7
Its just sad that so much praise was heaped to Brooks for a book filled with so many technical deficiences meant to create a readl world response to a zombie outbreak. The Chinese setting was quite good, but it seems every time that Mr. Brooks tries to write anything relating to weaponry or military he makes a fool of himself. There are a good deal of other books and even series out there which are a much more enjoyable read. I don't fault people for enjoying his book, but to claim it is the best 'evar' as happens on some forums is quite tragic and in no way its popularity representative of its quality. Thats like using the popularity of twilight to suggest it is the best vampire book ever written.
Harm on Mar 30, 2011
8
Er, Dickwad. If this kind of thing really happened then events and responses as depicted in the novel would be far more cohesive than any human response.
Stevebeer on Apr 3, 2011
9
pssh come on man, you're seriously gonna start pulling out glossary definitions when everyone who isn't an elitist understands exactly what is being said. Someone should reduce your face by 10% for taking it that far. Besides that, YAAAAYYY ZOMBIES. BRAAAAIIINNNSSS! Lol
Matt on Mar 30, 2011
10
Technically it would an Dictionary Definition rather than a Glossary 😉 I'd love to see anyone try to reduce my face by 10% but that is morebehavior more behavior befitting a zed no?
Harm on Mar 30, 2011
11
darn stutter of posting on my phone. My bad.
Harm on Mar 30, 2011
12
Decimate: a : to reduce drastically especially in number b : to cause great destruction or harm to .... Idiot.
Chazzy on Mar 30, 2011
13
Lol wtf...... love how everything got jumbled around when I submitted the comment. Oh well, don't feel like fixing it.
Chazzy on Mar 30, 2011
14
sigh... actually learn the definitions of words before you act like a douche about their usage. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decimate
Towelie12 on Mar 30, 2011
15
all i'm saying is that anyone in normal society would go ahead and use this word to describe some massive destruction/loss. I don't understand why you guys instantly jumped on it because it "didn't follow the definition". I apologize for being a douche about it if my statement constitutes douchiness. P.S. maybe I like to use the third option from every definition.
Matt on Mar 30, 2011
16
VERY EXCITED =) although during the bidding war for the rights to making this film i WAS pulling for DiCaprio's production company...
Nick S. on Mar 29, 2011
17
Hell yeah!
Simon on Mar 29, 2011
18
SWEET!!!!! This looks like it's goin to be awesome. I'm mad happy they found a financier... good looks Mr.Ellision....good looks indeed
Dimma Gold on Mar 30, 2011
19
Find a new director, for the love of god.
Craig on Mar 30, 2011
20
YES!!! I was getting worried there for a second...
Cruzer on Mar 30, 2011
21
All I ask is that it stay faithful. Period. The book has become a zombie bible so to speak along with its survival guide.
Johnny Neat on Mar 30, 2011
22
I recomend the book, comic and audibook, great addition to the zombie mythos. Now... $125 millon for a zombie movie does sound a bit....expensive?
David Banner on Mar 31, 2011
23
oo yess
A5J4DX on Nov 13, 2018
24
oo yess
A5J4DX on Nov 13, 2018
New comments are no longer allowed on this post.
FEATURED POSTS
FOLLOW FS HERE
Follow Alex's main account on Twitter:
Add our posts to your Feedly › click here
Get all the news sent on Telegram 
LATEST TO WATCH