Nearly twenty years after their collaboration in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, director David Fincher and actor Brad Pitt have come together once again for The Adventures of Cliff Booth. This new Netflix film, written by Quentin Tarantino, acts as a sequel to Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, with Pitt reprising his role as Cliff Booth, the calm and resourceful stuntman who played a key part in stopping the Manson family’s attack on Sharon Tate in 1969. Their partnership on this project marks their fourth major film collaboration, following Seven, Fight Club, and Benjamin Button.
The Story Behind the Cancelled World War Z Sequel
David Fincher and Brad Pitt were actually set to reunite much earlier with a sequel to 2013’s World War Z, an adaptation of Max Brooks’s novel chronicling a global zombie outbreak. In 2016, encouraged by Pitt, Fincher began developing the follow-up, and by mid-2017, Paramount Pictures confirmed Fincher as director through former Chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos. Although production was originally planned to start in the fall of 2018, the project was postponed due to Fincher’s work on the second season of Mindhunter.
Unexpectedly, Paramount canceled the sequel in early 2019. Reports from The Hollywood Reporter indicated the decision was influenced by the film’s inability to secure release in China, a crucial and profitable market that bans movies featuring ghosts or undead themes.
David Fincher Discusses His Vision for the Unmade Sequel
In a 2023 interview with GQ, Fincher shed light on what his approach to the World War Z sequel would have been. He described it as somewhat similar to the story portrayed in The Last of Us.
“Well, it was a little like The Last of Us,”
he explained.
“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.”
Paramount’s Renewed Commitment to Franchise Sequels
Following Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount last summer, the new film studio Co-Chair, Josh Greenstein, stated that reviving the World War Z franchise was a top priority alongside other major IPs like Star Trek and Transformers. Skydance’s head, David Ellison, emphasized the importance of attracting top creative talent to drive future successes.
“One of our biggest priorities is restoring Paramount as the No. 1 destination for the most talented artists and filmmakers in the world,”
he said. “Great filmmakers make great movies.”
What This Means for Fincher, Pitt, and the Franchise
The cancellation of the World War Z sequel postponed a promising reunion between David Fincher and Brad Pitt but did not diminish the anticipation surrounding their collaboration. With the acclaimed team now working together again on Netflix’s The Adventures of Cliff Booth, audiences can look forward to their blend of intense storytelling and focused artistry. Meanwhile, Paramount’s renewed interest in rebooting World War Z suggests the franchise may yet return with fresh creative vision and potentially Fincher and Pitt’s involvement in the future.
