Culture

'World War Z' Sequel Is Happening with 'The Impossible' Director

Director Juan Antonio Bayona is going from a real disaster to a fake one. 

By Esther Zuckerman
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This article is from the archive of our partner .

Director Juan Antonio Bayona is going from a real disaster to a fake one. The director, The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit and Tatiana Siegel reported, has signed on to direct the in some ways miraculous sequel to World War Z.

Bayona directed last year's The Impossible, the drama starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor that recreated the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. He also has horror credentials from 2007's The Orphanage. Put that together and you've got a knack for images of widespread destruction and chills—basically perfect for a World War Z movie.

The fact that the World War Z sequel is going forward would have looked completely improbable to us a year ago when the movie was facing very public struggles. The final product fooled us all that by being both critically and financially successful. Still, the relationship between the original's director, Marc Forster, and it's producer and star, Brad Pitt was reportedly fraught. Hence, Forster has now been booted off two (potentially) major franchising, haven ceded control of Bond to Sam Mendes after Quantum of Solace.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.