World War Z arrived in theaters way back in 2013, and the movie had been plagued with issues from the start. Director Marc Forster, who'd helmed the troubled James Bond outing Quantum of Solace, clashed with several creatives during pre-production, meaning the project was over budget before cameras could even start rolling.
Things only got worse from there, with a tumultuous shoot that ended with the entire final act being scrapped and reshot (Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard were tasked with writing the new ending, with the cost a sizeable $20 million when all was said and done).
Throw in a mixed response to those CG zombie hoards when the trailers dropped and, in what was already a hectic summer thanks to movies like Man of Steel and Iron Man 3, the feeling online was that World War Z was destined to flop. Instead, it earned $540 million, a respectable amount which led to sequel talks.
Forster had planned to make a trilogy, but it was clear he wouldn't be asked to return. Instead, new director, J.A. Bayona, and writer, Steven Knight, were tasked with dreaming up a sequel (the former left the project to shoot Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom).
However, we were later surprised when the news broke that Fight Club, Seven, and Mank helmer David Finch revealed plans to take charge of the zombie franchise. His involvement led to Brad Pitt agreeing to return, but delays followed and the sequel was scrapped.
Talking to GQ (via SFFGazette.com), Fincher finally shed some light on what he had planned for the movie.
"Well, it was a little like The Last of Us," he reveals. "I'm glad that we didn't do what we were doing, because The Last of Us has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff. In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite...they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show."
Asked if the movie was going to be a closer adaptation of Max Brooks' novel, Fincher added, "No, no. But there is some talk of doing that."
It sounds like something World War Z-related could be brewing, though it was previously reported that Fincher's version was scrapped due to China's ban on movies featuring zombies. However, with so few Hollywood blockbusters released there now, perhaps Paramount has decided to go back to the drawing board?
Unfortunately, we're guessing whatever comes next won't have Fincher helming the action.