David Fincher, at one point, was set to direct a sequel to the zombie blockbuster World War Z, but as of 2019, it was no longer in development. What was the reason behind this change, and what would Fincher’s vision for the sequel have entailed?

In a recent conversation with GQ UK, David Fincher shed light on the abandoned project. He compared it to another iconic title, The Last of Us, emphasizing his contentment with the change in direction.

Fincher elaborated, saying, “Well, it was a little like The Last of Us. I’m glad that we didn’t proceed with our original plans, as The Last of Us provides a more expansive canvas for exploring similar themes. In our planned title sequence, we were going to feature the little parasite, which they ultimately used in their title sequence, along with the captivating opening reminiscent of a David Dick Cavett and David Frost-style talk show.”

When asked by GQ UK if his version of the World War Z sequel would have adhered more closely to Max Brooks’ original book, Fincher replied, “No.” However, he added, “But there is some discussion of doing just that.”

In essence, it remains a possibility for another World War Z movie. As for Fincher, he moved on to direct The Killer, set to debut on Netflix on November 10.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the action-horror film World War Z, adapted from Max Brooks’ novel, with Brad Pitt portraying former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane. In director Marc Forster’s World War Z, a deadly virus transmitted through a single bite is transforming healthy individuals into ferocious, mindless, and relentless threats. As the pandemic threatens humanity’s existence, Gerry Lane embarks on a global quest to locate the source of the infection and, hopefully, a means to halt its spread.