World War Z rough cut is only 52 minutes long?

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

I’m going to call it right now: in terms of a production struggling, WAR WORLD Z to be building up to be the HEAVEN’S GATE of zombie flicks. That might be an overstatement, but let’s do a quick tally right now: last year the studio required another seven weeks of reshooting. They then pushed the film back six months. Star Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster stopped talking, then the studio hired then lost Damon Lindelof for rewrites. Said writer left upon discovering the massive undertaking the rewrites would be, instead recommending Drew Goddard to take his place. This all starts making sense when insiders then report the thing doesn’t have strong third act. Now we have news of the rough cut and it isn’t pleasant.

Sources are reporting Paramount execs only had 52 minutes of continuous footage cut together to show them, along with a few minutes of other action. That’s right– as of now, WORLD WAR Z is less than an hour long, and the studio is getting for another seven week shoot to try and amend the problem.

If I call it THE HEAVEN’S GATE of zombie flicks, it’s for this reason: the studio is pumping oodles of money into an already hugely budgeted production– for a zombie movie. The simplest, most low budget style of monster movie one can possibly make. Seriously, George A. Romero probably reads this stuff and just cackles to himself, content that his legacy will never be overshadowed by an overblown Hollywood epic that’s mining roads he paved with a Bolex camera and thirty dollars back in 1968. Then he goes and makes a SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD sequel to punish his fans.

With that last thought to pain us, let’s read the synopsis of Z (below) and ogle a picture of co-star Mirelille Enos (also below) and remember the kind of potential for greatness WORLD WAR Z still has.

“The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself.”