‘World War Z’ Sequel Moving Forward at Paramount

Remember when Dan Trachtenberg signed a three-year first look deal at Paramount Pictures? The filmmaker behind “10 Cloverfield Lane,” “Prey,” “Predator: Killer of Killers,” and “Predator: Badlands” will develop, direct, and produce large-scale theatrical features for the studio.

This naturally raised the question: what does Paramount want Trachtenberg to tackle next?

The InSneider, covering Trachtenberg’s newly minted deal, speculated that signs might be pointing toward “World War Z.” Whether as a sequel or a full-scale reboot, the project would fit directly into Trachtenberg’s strengths.

Two months later, Paramount has now announced a “World War Z” sequel at CinemaCon. Yes, a sequel, not a reboot. Brad Pitt’s involvement is still up in the air, and since David Fincher’s originally planned sequel never materialized, it may now fall to Trachtenberg to steer the franchise forward.

“World War Z” also represents a rare case of a blockbuster that clearly justified a follow-up but never received one. The 2013 film went on to earn roughly $540 million worldwide, making it Paramount’s highest-grossing movie of that year.

“World War Z” follows a former UN investigator (Pitt) traveling the world to find the source of a fast-moving zombie outbreak and help develop a way for humanity to survive it.

The fact that a true sequel never materialized remains one of Paramount’s bigger missed opportunities—especially in an era now dominated by long-running IP—making the property ripe for revival under Trachtenberg.