The Highest-Grossing Zombie Movie Ever Made World War Z Finds New Streaming Success

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Hollywood quickly tries to capitalize on popular films by making sequels, spin-offs, or reboots. However, a sequel was never made for this particular movie.

Zombie movies have been popular for nearly a century, starting with 1932’s White Zombie featuring Bela Lugosi. Since then, there have been countless zombie films, often mixed with other genres like action, science fiction, comedy, and romance. The 2013 film World War Z was a major success and remains popular on streaming services, according to FlixPatrol.

The film World War Z is proving popular on Paramount+, especially in Central and South America. While it’s not currently a big hit in the U.S., it’s been charting well across 18 countries in Latin America. As of January 29th, it’s a Top 10 hit in all those countries, even reaching number three in places like Mexico, Peru, and Colombia.

The film has gained significant attention in recent years. Based on Max Brooks’ popular 2006 novel of the same title, it stars Brad Pitt and was directed by Marc Forster. The screenplay was a collaborative effort by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, and Damon Lindelof, building upon a story conceived by Carnahan and J. Michael Straczynski.

In addition to Brad Pitt, who starred as Gerald “Gerry” Lane, the movie World War Z featured Mireille Enos as Gerry’s wife, James Badge Dale as Captain Speke, and Daniella Kertesz as Segen. Filming also took place in Wales.

With a budget of $190 million, World War Z earned over $351.8 million globally, making it the most successful zombie film ever. Even the recent releases of 28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple didn’t come close to matching its success. The film also generated an additional $54.7 million in revenue from DVD and Blu-ray sales, according to The Numbers.

While critics weren’t entirely convinced, the movie has generally been well-received, earning a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 277 reviews, and a 72% audience score. It also holds a solid 7/10 rating on IMDb. A lot of the negative feedback focused on…

World War Z Should’ve Gotten a Sequel

Given the huge success of the zombie movie, making a sequel seemed like the obvious choice. Before the film even came out, the director, Marc Forster, and the studio, Paramount Pictures, planned a three-movie series. They envisioned a realistic, action-packed feel similar to the Jason Bourne films, combined with the dark and suspenseful atmosphere of The Walking Dead. Paramount officially announced a sequel in June 2013.

The project has faced numerous challenges since its initial planning. Brad Pitt was originally set to return as Gerry, and several well-known directors, like J.A. Bayona and David Fincher, and writer Steven Knight, were involved at different times. However, after months of preparation starting in October 2018, Paramount Pictures officially canceled the film in February 2019.

World War Z is streaming on Paramount+.

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2026-01-29 22:07