Paramount almost didn’t make a PG-13 blockbuster adaptation of Max Brooks‘ zombie novel World War Z, and that would have probably been for the best.  The project, which was envisioned as the first part of a potential trilogy, would have been dead if the movie didn’t get a co-financier, but the studio eventually found partners in producer Graham King‘s GK Films and David Ellison‘s Skydance Productions.  Now they’re all paying the price as the production has spun wildly out of control, soared to more than a $170 million budget, requires five weeks of complex reshoots (others have put the number at 7-8 weeks), and brought in Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof to do re-writes on a picture that won’t be able to get back in front of cameras until September.

So how did production on World War Z go so horribly wrong?  Hit the jump for more.

Paramount has sent over some pictures from last night’s world premiere of Iron Man 2 in Hollywood.  In attendance were Mickey Rourke, Anastassija Makarenko, Robert Downey Jr. and wife / producer Susan Downey, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Favreau, Paramount’s Rob Moore, Sumner Redstone and Brad Grey, Sylvester Stallone, Samuel L. Jackson, and best of all… The Iron-ettes (the Iron Man 2 dancers).  Hit the jump to check out the images: