World War Z 2: Brad Pitt returns for sequel – New director announced

Now it's official: There will be a sequel to "World War Z" – and Brad Pitt will be in it. The Hollywood star is returning for "World War Z 2," as reported by Deadline. But that's not all: A new director has been confirmed. Edward Berger will direct the zombie film.

In the original 2013 film, Pitt played the role of Gerry Lane. The former United Nations employee tries to put an end to a zombie pandemic. Details about the plot of "World War Z 2" have not yet been announced. However, Dennis Kelly has already been confirmed as the screenwriter. He follows in the footsteps of several renowned writers, such as Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard, who were involved in the screenplay for the first "World War Z" film and have recently generated a lot of buzz with new projects. Lindelof is one of the creative minds behind the superhero series "Lanterns," and Goddard is known for his sci-fi blockbuster "Project Hail Mary." Director Edward Berger, in turn, will succeed Marc Forster, who directed the original "World War Z" film. Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner are on board as producers of the sequel.

Edward Berger to direct World War Z 2

The first "World War Z" film is based on the novel of the same name by Max Brooks and proved to be a box-office hit in 2013. The zombie film, starring Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale, and Peter Capaldi, grossed $540 million worldwide. A sequel has been in the works for years. For a time, David Fincher was mentioned as a potential director, but that didn't pan out.

Edward Berger, a filmmaker whose career has gained momentum in recent years, is now taking the helm. His war drama "All Quiet on the Western Front" was in the running for Germany in the "Best International Feature Film" category at the 2023 Oscars and ultimately won the Academy Award in that category. Berger's Vatican thriller "Conclave" was also a success and took home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay two years later. "World War Z 2" won't be his first collaboration with Brad Pitt. The Hollywood star also plays the lead role in Berger's upcoming thriller "The Riders."

What new movies starring Brad Pitt are coming soon

Brad Pitt is currently making headlines, however, primarily for his leading role in David Fincher's new film. After the two previously collaborated on the thrillers "Seven" and "Fight Club" as well as the fantasy drama "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," they are now teaming up again for "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth." The film is a sequel to Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"; while Tarantino isn't directing this time, he is once again writing the screenplay. The sequel centers on the titular character Cliff Booth, who is once again played by Brad Pitt. We first saw the character in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." The film was set in Los Angeles in the late 1960s. Lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed the struggling actor Rick Dalton. Cliff Booth, played by Pitt, was Dalton's stunt double. In "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth," the story takes place in 1977: Hollywood has changed quite a bit in the meantime – and Booth has to figure out how to navigate this new reality. The film will be shown in IMAX theaters worldwide for two weeks starting November 25, 2026. It premieres on Netflix on December 23, 2026.

Before that, Pitt can be seen in "Heart of the Beast." In this survival thriller, he plays a Special Forces officer who survives a plane crash in Alaska alongside his retired combat dog. Afterward, however, they must find a way to survive in the wilderness. The theatrical release of "Heart of the Beast" is just around the corner: it hits theaters on September 25, 2026. To mark the release, we reached out to the KinoCheck community and asked on our WhatsApp channel: What's your favorite Brad Pitt movie? You can check out the results here. And you can see what to expect from the new thriller starring Brad Pitt in the trailer: