The long-delayed sequel to the 2013 action-horror film "World War Z" may finally be back on track.

Variety reports David Fincher ("The Social Network," "Gone Girl"), who was first courted last summer by star/producer Brad Pitt, is nearing a deal to direct, allowing Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions to move forward with development. The sequel hasn't been greenlit, but that may be merely a formality, permitting production to begin in early 2018.

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Inspired by Max Brooks' 2006 post-apocalyptic novel "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War," the first film starred Pitt as a former United Nations investigator who must find a way to stop a global zombie pandemic. Directed by Marc Forster, "World War Z" was plagued by production setbacks, and ultimately earned $540 million worldwide.

The sequel has similarly faced difficulties in early development, leading Paramount to pull the film from its 2017 calendar following the departure last year of director J.A. Bayona, who's now helming "Jurassic World 2."

Fincher and Pitt of course have a long history together, having collaborated on "Seven," "Fight Club" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." "World War Z" would be Fincher's film since 2014's "Gone Girl."