Paramount Dates 'World War Z' Sequel for June 9th, 2017

Two years ago, Paramount Pictures released World War Z starring Brad Pitt, a zombie apocalypse movie that had gone through numerous production problems (including the filming of an entirely new third act).  It was destined to be a disappointment and bomb at the box office given its well known issues behind the scenes; however, to the surprise of many, it was a sizable hit, grossing $540 million at the global box office along with being well-received by critics.

The studio didn't expect to make a sequel (they were just hoping to make some kind of profit given the film's issues), but since it hit all the high marks, they have now officially set a release date of June 9th, 2017.

It was announced a while back that star Brad Pitt would return to lead the sequel, but the original film's director, Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace, Machine Gun Preacher), would not be returning.  Instead, Juan Antonia Bayona (The Impossible) will take the helm with Steven Knight (Eastern Promises) writing the script.

It's not known what the plot of the sequel will be about, but based on how the first film ended, the 'world war' with zombies was still happening with a possible remedy found (though since it's a sequel, expect something to go wrong).

Much has been written about the brilliant quality of Max Brooks' novel of the same name for which the film is based, so here's hoping the makers this time around do a better job in executing from page to screen.

Source: Paramount Pictures