Although 2014’s “Gone Girl” turned out to be the biggest hit of David Fincher’s career to date, the acclaimed “Zodiac” and “The Social Network” director hasn’t had the best few years. He was all set to have not one but two HBO series, the semi-autobiographical ’80s music video world comedy-drama “Videosyncrazy” and UK conspiracy thriller remake “Utopia” with Rooney Mara, but the former was shut down midway through production, and the latter had the plug pulled just before filming, in both cases reportedly because of issues over budgets. And none of his subsequent movie projects have made it to the starting gate.
But things are looking up for Fincher fans: Netflix will debut his serial killer tale “Mindhunter” later in the year, and now word has come that his next big-screen project is close to confirmed, and as has been rumored for nearly a year, it’ll mark Fincher’s return to the blockbuster sequel world for the first time since “Alien3.” Variety reports that the new Paramount regime led by Jim Gianopulos is close to greenlighting a sequel to Brad Pitt horror-action picture “World War Z,” which will be directed by Fincher, reteaming the director with his “Fight Club” and “Seven” star.
The original film, directed by Marc Forster, had a famously troubled production that involved reshooting almost the entire third act, but on its release proved a solid hit, taking over $500 million worldwide. A sequel, originally to be directed by “The Impossible” helmer J.A. Bayona, was originally set to get underway last summer, but when Bayona bailed for “Jurassic World 2,” the project stalled while a new helmer was sought.
Pitt reached out to Fincher last summer, and despite the director’s aversion to tentpole sequels after his experience on “Alien3,” Fincher had been seriously considering the project, partly due to his relationship with Pitt, partly more recently due to a good long-standing relationship with Gianopulos, and partly thanks to a script by Dennis Kelly, the British playwright who created the original version of “Utopia.”
The greenlight hasn’t firmly come in, but the stars look to be aligning, and all being well, this would get before cameras at the beginning of 2018, likely for a 2019 release. While we’re a bit exhausted by zombies in general, and didn’t love the first “World War Z,” we have to confess to being pretty psyched to see what Fincher could cook up with this sort of scale and scope. Just don’t expect it to be a crowd-pleaser…
