On location, Brad Pitt between takes.

Brad Pitt’s eagerly anticipated zombie action thriller World War Z, which was partly filmed in Malta, will hit local theatres later this month.

The zombie flick had pumped some €30 million into the local economy during the three weeks spent filming in Malta in the summer of 2011.

The film, based on the bestselling book by the same name, stars Brad Pitt as Gerry Lane, a UN employee who believes he may hold the key to curing a raging zombie pandemic.

During filming the lower parts of Valletta were transformed into the streets of Israel, Zammit Clapp Hospital was turned into a military base and Malta International Airport was overrun by rampant zombies.

Film review journals had raised doubts as to whether the film, which was originally expected to hit cinemas last December, would make it to the box office at all.

It hit its first snag shortly after leaving Malta when filming was suspended in Budapest after Hungarian anti-terrorist officers confiscated 85 fully functional military grade assault rifles, meant to be used as props for the film.

There was more trouble when Pitt, who is also the film’s producer, clashed with director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace, The Kite Runner), leading to several costly and lengthy reshoots.

Local logistics and shipping company Thomas Smith Group was responsible for tens of tonnes of shipments ordered during the film’s three-week Malta shoot.

Logistics Manager Ramon Azzopardi said in a press release: “The team was enthusiastic to work for such a production. It was a privilege to be entrusted with the daily film rushes which required immediate dispatch to London for processing.”