Spoilers for the original I Am Legend
Almost a year ago, we heard that an I Am Legend sequel was in the works with original star Will Smith and adding Michael B. Jordan. The post-apocalyptic zombie movie came out in 2007 and Smith’s character dies in the end, although there’s an alternate ending on the DVD where he survives. If you’re not familiar with it, go here for a recap. I’m jazzed for this sequel, which we heard about before the Oscars last year. We didn’t know that Smith would be endlessly apologizing for defending his wife and that his decades-long career would be in jeopardy after that. The good news is that the sequel is still happening and that Smith’s character, virologist Neville, survives! The story follows the alternate ending and is set decades after the first. Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman told Deadline that he’s “obsessed” with new HBO series The Last of Us and wants to show “how the earth reclaims the world.”
The screenwriter behind Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan’s upcoming sequel to 2007’s I Am Legend is taking some cues from the popular HBO series The Last of Us.
On Wednesday, Akiva Goldsman told Deadline that the sequel “will start a few decades later than the first,” though he did not clarify Jordan’s role in the story.
“I’m obsessed with The Last of Us, where we see the world just post-apocalypse but also after a 20-, 30-year lapse,” Goldsman said. “You see how the earth reclaims the world, and there’s something beautiful in the question of, as man steps away from being the primary tenant, what happens? That will be especially visual in New York.”
The filmmaker added that “the possibilities are endless” for the I Am Legend sequel as he spoke about working with the 1954 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson.
“We trace back to the original Matheson book, and the alternate ending as opposed to the released ending in the original film,” Goldsman told the outlet. “What Matheson was talking about was that man’s time on the planet as the dominant species had come to an end. That’s a really interesting thing we’re going to get to explore.”
“There will be a little more fidelity to the original text,” he added.
You know I love the zombie and post apocalyptic genre. The Last of Us is phenomenal, particularly for the settings but especially the characters. It’s way too sad though, and I’ve heard that will continue if it follows the game. Last week’s episode had me vowing to stop watching, although I doubt I’ll stick to that as I’m invested now.
Getting back to this news, I’m so happy that an I Am Legend sequel is still happening! Will is so good in this role and he can definitely do drama. (If you haven’t seen I Am Legend yet it’s on HBO Max. King Richard is there too!) Goldsman wrote the original I am Legend and he also did the screenplays for A Beautiful Mind and The Dark Tower. I have hope that this will be a solid sequel, especially with the addition of Michael B. Jordan. As much as Goldsmith admires The Last of Us though, I want happier endings for the characters. Like don’t introduce secondary characters and get us attached only to kill them off. And for God’s sake don’t kill any dogs! Now I need to read the book.
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- Michael B. Jordan at the ‘Creed III’ film premiere, London, UK – 15 Feb 2023,Image: 756417885, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: avalon / Avalon
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But will there be a german shepherd? Sam was the best part of the movie!
I saw that movie once, thought it was excellent, and also thought NEVER AGAIN because of Sam. Sometimes I think I should try it again but as I’ve gotten older I’ve gotten even more emotional about stuff like that (which is funny bc I have always been a big crier at movies, now even more so) so I’m not sure I could handle it.
I want to try The Last of Us but same thing.
Becks1, The Last of Us made this non-crier BAWL. It’s a fantastic show with top-notch acting but my God, it’s heartbreaking. No animals have died or been hurt, so that’s a plus. When I see an animal get hurt or die on a show I can’t watch it again.
Well I am a crier. And I am Legend movie made me cry. Not the book. It’s bleaker than the movie but not as sad. It’s one of the few times I prefer the movie over the book.
The Last of Us is brutal. You will cry. Multiple times. My husband doesn’t cry watching tv/movies. He looked at me at the end of last weeks episode with tears in his eyes and said I don’t know how much more of this I can take. Every episode isn’t hard. And there are breaks between the emotional despair.
Normally I wouldn’t recommend a show as sad as TLOU to a fellow crier. However TLOU is so good. The acting. The writing. The directing. The cinematography. Everything is top notch. It’s an excellent watch.
I don’t like the genre, but I’m glad Will Smith is still making the movie. I hope his career thrives.
““We trace back to the original Matheson book, and the alternate ending as opposed to the released ending in the original film,”
LOL! Well I feel vindicated! I’ve been preaching since the first one that the garbage ending ruined an otherwise really solid movie for me! I assume they had to change from the alternate ending (basically the book ending) because test audiences were too stupid to get it? Ugh.
The alternate ending was so much better! The original ending ruined all the set-up they’d done throughout the movie, and was just plain stupid.
Agreed. The original ending was such a gut punch. They opted for flashy instead
Oh my god I love I Am Legend. Also, LOL for “spoilers”. I do enjoy Will Smith a lot and am a little obsessed with the zombie genre.
Someone on here once yelled at me because I referred to the ending of The Sixth Sense, maybe within the past 2 or 3 years? I was like, is it a spoiler if the movie has been out for 20 years?? lol
M. Night Shyamalan was on Graham Norton and was very adamant that none of his movies, no matter how old, are ever spoiled (spoilered?) for anyone. I thought he was joking.
oh lordy I can see him saying that.
My thing is, if the only thing going for your movie is the twist, then its not a very good movie overall. For Sixth Sense, someone actually told me the twist before I ever saw it (and it had only been out for like 6 months or something), but I still watched it and enjoyed it, and while I don’t adore it (its a little scary for me in the beginning), I do think its a really good movie and I’ll watch it if its on TV etc. Basically knowing the twist did nothing to ruin my appreciation of the movie.
Meanwhile some of his other movies, I feel like the “twist” is all there is, and once I know it I don’t ever rewatch the movie (Signs, the Village.)
Re-watching The Sixth Sense (knowing what is really going on) reveals so many other things, even if you know the twist! I think it’s a great movie. But yeah, someone bitching about “spoiling” a movie decades later – LMAO. For the person not to watch the film for years and years – it must not have been that important to them in the first place.
I am excited about a sequel to I am Legend. I never even knew about the alternative (original ending) until a few years ago, as I saw it on YouTube. Sooooo much better!!!!!
I am excited for this! I loved the original film and I think it’s a story that definitely can continue. It felt like there was so much more to expand on.
I liked the movie and the book, so I’m definitely on board for the sequel, especially starring Will Smith and Michael B Jordan.
I was gutted when the dog died in the first. I will have to get major spoilers before I watch a second one. That whole entire show was devastating.
I Am Legend was the only apocalyptic movie I ever enjoyed. I will love seeing this sequel!
Happy to know you are better, Celebrity!
I’m a huge dog-lover and would never have “put down” Sam if I were in his position. You’d keep Sam in one of those cages and hope your cure eventuates so you can cure your best buddy.
The alternate ending was so much better and think it was faithful to the book, where you get to see these zombies are actually intelligent and the predator is actually the not-infected man. You can see it on YT.