Paramount finalizes deals for Pitt and Berger
Paramount has closed a deal for Brad Pitt to return and has tapped Edward Berger to direct the long-awaited sequel to World War Z, the zombie epic that earned more than $540 million worldwide in 2013. Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner will produce through Plan B Entertainment, while Berger will serve as executive producer. Dennis Kelly is set to write the screenplay. The studio is keeping plot details under wraps.[S1]
The sequel is based on Max Brooks's bestselling 2006 novel, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. Pitt had pursued the project for over a decade, initially courting his longtime friend and collaborator David Fincher to direct. That plan nearly came together, but budgetary issues led Fincher to leave and the project was put on hold, though Pitt continued to hope the sequel would eventually be made.[S1]
New leadership revives the project
The project gained new momentum last summer after Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg were appointed co-chairs of Paramount Pictures. They identified the sequel as a high-priority title and confirmed their desire to get it made at the recent CinemaCon event in Las Vegas. Skydance, which played a major role in launching the first film, also supported moving forward, with its founder David Ellison sharing Pitt's enthusiasm for a sequel.[S1]
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Berger and Pitt had just wrapped The Riders, an A24 and Scott Free production, and according to sources the shoot was a strong experience that left both men keen to team up again. Insiders say that during the early part of filming, Pitt started making the case to Berger about World War Z 2 and why he suited it so well. Berger agreed before the shoot ended, and the studio finalized agreements with the pair in recent weeks.[S1]
Pitt's busy slate and representation
With Pitt attached, the film continues a strong relationship between Paramount and the Oscar winner, whose upcoming survival thriller Heart of the Beast opens next weekend. That film reunites Pitt with his Fury director David Ayer. Later this year, Pitt can also be seen in the Netflix film The Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth. Pitt is represented by CAA and Brillstein Partners, Berger by CAA and Range, and Kelly by UTA.[S1]
