Director Juan Antonio Bayona is no stranger to tsunamis, having made 2012's The Impossible, but for his next act, he;s dealing with a storm of a different, rotting-flesh color.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bayona is Paramount Pictures' pick to direct the sequel to World War Z, with Brad Pitt returning at least as a producer, if not as the star. The website reports that Bayona "was on the very shortlist of directors" as of a few weeks ago, meeting with Pitt before landing the job. The previous World War Z was directed by Marc Forster, who wasn't expected to return for the sequel.

With a director in place, the search is on for writers. No matter who gets hired to tackle the script, THR notes that "Bayona will oversee the writing process."