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As we sift through the stories that occurred over the weekend while we were at Comic-Con, it seems that Paramount's adaptation of World War Z is in even more trouble. Last week, reports claimed that not only was screenwriter Damon Lindelof (Lost, Prometheus) brought in to help brainstorm a fix to the film's ending, but Cabin in the Woods co-writer and director Drew Goddard did the actual rewriting work, with another writer, Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, Jack Reacher), possibly stepping in at a later date. Now comes word that Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) are no longer on speaking terms.
Vulture was the first to report the communication breakdown, with the site's multiple production sources claiming that Pitt has become so frustrated with Forster that, as the production prepares for three weeks of reshoots (initially reported as seven), that "when Forster had notes on a scene for Pitt, they had to be relayed through an intermediary — and vice versa." Pitt originally fought to bring Forster on board the movie, which Pitt's production company Plan B is producing, and which was rushed into production last July to make a winter release date that has subsequently been pushed to June 21, 2013. This was reportedly done after Pitt and Paramount execs were unhappy with how some of the movie's action sequences were coming together in the editing room. To be fair to Forster, he clearly went into production with a script that wasn't finished, so he may have a good reason for not shooting a movie without having much of a plan.
what is going on? >> Posted 07.18.12 by Ryan -
In March, Paramount Pictures delayed its adaptation of World War Z until 2013, pushing the movie from a crowded 2012 holiday season to a more tentpole-friendly summer season. While delays are often viewed as a red flag of trouble, the move could have been looked at as a promotion, since summer seemed like a better position for a global zombie thriller than the holidays. But with news now of extensive reshoots on the horizon, it's hard to feel confident about the adaptation of Max Brooks' best-selling novel.
The Daily Mail reports that seven weeks of additional shooting will take place, starting in Budapest, where Pitt will be on hand. It's unknown, though, whether Mireille Enos (The Killing), who plays Pitt's wife in the movie, or co-stars Matthew Fox (Lost) and James Badge Dale (The Departed) will be used in the reshoots. In fact, no details have been offered, though with seven weeks of work lined up, there is probably too much being shot to be discussed.
more about the reshoots >> Posted 06.04.12 by Ryan -
Since Paramount Pictures announced their adaptation of World War Z, fans have wondered how director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) and screenwriters Matthew Michael Carnahan (The Kingdom) and J. Michael Straczynski (Changeling), who wrote the initial script, were going to take Max Brooks' dense novel and turn it into a movie. Eschewing a typical narrative structure, the World War Z novel is comprised of a series of fictional interviews with survivors of a zombie apocalypse that span the globe. How that becomes a movie was any fan's guess, though many have their own "must-have" scenes picked out.
With the novel's unseen narrator turned into Brad Pitt as U.N. employee Gerry Lane, fans rolled their eyes when the movie's brief synopsis revealed that Pitt's character would be traveling "the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself" — which essentially throws out the novel's post-zombie apocalypse setting for one that starts during the initial outbreak. Now, it turns out that Forster's plan for the movie could be more than just one movie — instead, it could become a franchise.
more about World War Z >> Posted 01.04.12 by Ryan -
Paramount's adaptation of World War Z has come under fire from fans recently when the movie's plot synopsis revealed that director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) and screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan (The Kingdom) would abandon the flashback structure of Max Brooks' best-selling novel.
Told ten years after a zombie apocalypse, World War Z was comprised solely of interviews with survivors conducted by an unseen interviewer. The initial draft of the screenplay, written by comic book writer and Changeling scribe J. Michael Straczynski, reportedly found a way to weave in flashbacks, with Brooks publicly commenting that the script was "f**king brilliant". One of Forster's first actions as director of World War Z was to get Carnahan to rewrite the script, with the studio's press release handing Carnahan sole credit.
With much to answer for to the book's many fans, Forster explained to MTV that World War Z will stay true to "the spirit of the book."
the zombies will run >> Posted 09.15.11 by Ryan -
In early August, it seemed that Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston was back on track for total Hollywood domination as he added yet another role in Paramount's adaptation of World War Z. Cranston was negotiating to play am unspecified role that was described as "small but flashy."
As great as Cranston's casting sounded, it is unfortunately not to be. While doing press for the current season of Breaking Bad, Cranston revealed to Film School Rejects that he would not be joining the highly-anticipated adaptation when he was asked what it was like to work with World War Z director Marc Forster.
I didn’t work with Marc Forster. I was supposed to, but scheduling got in the way, so I’m not able to. I regretted the omission. I sent him an email, wished him well, and said I was sad it didn’t work out. You know, on some other project we’ll hopefully — will you please tell him I said hello? And tell him the zombies are coming to get him.
more about World War Z >> Posted 09.09.11 by Ryan -
The Glasgow, Scotland portion of the World War Z shoot has finally come to an end, but not before set videos and photos revealed the city's transformation into Philadelphia, car crashes and general chaos, and, best of all, zombie attacks. The zombie attacks were apparently so real that star Brad Pitt became a real-life hero when he intervened and saved a woman who had fallen during a take and was in danger of being trampled by the an onslaught of running extras.
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Max Brooks, a recent plot synopsis revealed that, unlike the book, the movie may not be told entirely in flashback. Still, in director Marc Forster's recent comments to Film School Rejects about the movie, the Quantum of Solace director did say that he wanted to take on the book's political angle, adding that zombies "are a great metaphor to play with."
watch the set videos >> Posted 09.08.11 by Ryan -
Last week, the production for Paramount Pictures' adaptation of World War Z moved to Glasgow, Scotland, where set photos revealed that a section if the city was transformed into Philadelphia for a two-week shoot. As shooting has continued, even more set photos have been revealed by HugAZombie.
The new batch of photos reveals an action-packed crash scene that had extras running through the streets, as well as more of how Glasgow is being changed to look like an American city. There's also a glimpse of the life-like, plastic zombie dummies — the first look at what director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) has in mind for the movie.
what else was revealed? watch the set videos >> Posted 08.24.11 by Ryan -
The first trailer for acclaimed director Marc Forster's (Monster's Ball, The Kite Runner) new drama, Machine Gun Preacher, is now online. Written by Jason Keller, who also wrote the screenplay for director Tarsem Singh's Untitled Snow White Project, the movie is based on the inspirational true story of Sam Childers (played by Gerard Butler), a reformed drug-dealer who decides to dedicate his life to helping others and travels to war-torn East Africa to protect orphaned children from the atrocities of war...by any means necessary. Michelle Monaghan, Michael Shannon, Souleymane Sy Savane, Madeline Carroll and Kathy Baker also star.
read the synopsis and watch the trailer >> Posted 08.20.11 by BrentJS -
After shooting in Malta and Falmouth, Cornwall, England, the production for Paramount Pictures' adaptation of World War Z has moved north to Scotland. NPR reports that the center of Glasgow, near George Square, is being transformed into Philadelphia for the two-week shoot, with street signs and shop fronts being changed, and American cars brought in to fill the streets.
"We are ready to welcome the World War Z production to Glasgow," Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson told The BBC. "There is great anticipation in the city ahead of such a huge film coming here."
are there shots of zombies? >> Posted 08.19.11 by Ryan -
Earlier this week, Paramount Pictures announced a release date of December 21, 2012, for their adaptation of World War Z, making the movie's theatrical run official. While this had to please fans of the best-selling novel by Max Brooks that inspired the movie, the version that reaches the big screen may have plenty of audience members remarking: "You should have read the book."
Set years after a zombie apocalypse, World War Z (the novel) is a series of fictionalized conversations about the world's reaction to a zombie epidemic, serving as a social commentary on the world's preparedness (or lack thereof) to a threat of that magnitude. The novel was almost universally praised for its original take on the zombie premise, one that can often be turned into the same, stale product. According to the synopsis revealed by ShockTillYouDrop, the movie version may be just that — a movie — and that's probably not going to please the novel's rabid fanbase.
read the synopsis >> Posted 08.12.11 by Ryan