Paramount have not had the easiest time bringing Max Brooks’ novel, World War Z, to the big screen.
Starring Brad Pitt in the lead, the film was originally set for release in December this year, before being pushed back by the studio to 21st June, 2013. When word of the delay surfaced back in March, there wasn’t a reason given for it, only that its release date would be filled instead by Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher (at the time, titled One Shot).
In the time since, however, word has surfaced that a significant seven-week re-shoot is planned for later this year in September or October, and now THR report that as part of that process, Damon Lindelof has been hired to rewrite the film’s third act.
The project has already been discussed by fans of the original novel, shifting the post-apocalyptic zombie tale to a pre-apocalyptic one.
The film is said to not be a straight zombie film, but one with political and sociological overtones as well, which isn’t seen quite so often in the horror genre, and is definitely one to look forward to, even more so with Lindelof penning the final act.
Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace, Monster’s Ball) is directing, with the original script from Matthew Michael Carnahan (State of Play), and alongside Pitt will be a great supporting cast headed up by James Badge Dale (Shame, the upcoming Iron Man 3), Matthew Fox (Lost), Mireille Enos (The Killing), and David Morse (The Green Mile).
Lindelof is coming off the back off penning Prometheus, which has opened strong in the US this past weekend, and has also re-teamed with J.J. Abrams for the upcoming Star Trek sequel, to say nothing of his credits writing and co-creating Lost.
World War Z will be released in the UK and US on 21st June, 2013. More as we get it.
