Fifteen years after its debut, ‘I Am Legend’ is finally set to receive a sequel movie. The Will Smith starring blockbuster left a deep impact on people’s minds despite its controversial theatrical ending, but it looks like the upcoming film will finally set things straight.
The movie grossed $585.4 million at the box office and is still a renowned creation. Will Smith’s mesmerizing performance, coupled with the brilliantly executed plot, made the film a hit.
However, the ending upset many fans, as the protagonist could not survive the ordeal. Now that a second movie has been announced, people are curious if Will Smith is returning to the franchise and how the plot will progress despite the character’s death. So here we are to answer all your queries.
Which Ending Will ‘I am Legend 2’ Follow?
The initial ‘I Am Legend’ movie had received two endings. One theatrical version and another alternate ending/director’s cut, which is canon to its original screenplay. The upcoming ‘I Am Legend 2’ will follow the alternate ending of the first movie.
To those who are not familiar with the double endings, here is a rundown.
[SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t watched the first movie yet]
The theatrical ending to ‘I Am Legend’ shows Neville giving a vaccine sample to Anna and Ethan before shutting them and sacrificing himself to kill the Darkseekers with a grenade. Anna and Ethan later arrive at a survivor’s camp, hand over the cure, and narrate Neville’s effort to save humanity.
However, the alternate ending shares a different story altogether. In the canon ending, Neville realizes that the alpha male Darkseeker has been following him since he captured the female, who is its mate. He returns the female Darkseeker and apologizes, after which the creatures leave.
It dawns on the scientist that he is a monster in the eyes of the Darkseekers, as he has mercilessly experimented on them. He heads over to Vermont with Anna and Ethan later in search of a survivor’s colony.
The alternate ending was removed from the theatrical cut due to the negative response it received from its initial test screening audience.
I Am Legend 2 Plot
‘I Am Legend 2’ will continue the plot of the first movie’s alternate ending. In it, Will Smith’s character, Neville, is still alive and will depict the post-apocalyptic world after a 20-30-year lapse.
In an interview, Goldsman stated that he was inspired by The Last of Us. “I’m obsessed with The Last of Us, where we see the world just post-apocalypse but also after a 20-30-year lapse. It will be especially visual in New York. I don’t know if they’ll climb up to the Empire State Building, but the possibilities are endless.”
The filmmaker’s next comment is a bit more eye-opening. “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.”
Maybe the movie will focus more on the Deathseekers who have already been proven to have feelings and even have partners, much like humans.
I Am Legend 2 Cast: Is Will Smith Returning?
Yes, Will Smith is reprising his role as scientist Robert Neville in the upcoming movie I Am Legend 2. The only other cast member who has been announced so far is Michael B. Jordan, whose role is still unclear.
Although Smith did not want to return to the role, the latest pitch for the sequel convinced him. According to Smith, Jordan was also a part of creating the idea. Both Smith and Jordan are credited as producers for the film.
Release Date of I Am Legend 2
I Am Legend 2 is still in its early stages of development, and an official release date has not been announced yet. The sequel was announced in March 2022, and Akiva Goldsman will return to write the screenplay.
The movie was stuck in development hell for over a year before Deadline confirmed in February 2023 that it is under production. No trailers or posters for the movie have been revealed yet, but it is only a matter of time before they are out.
So sit tight and check out our page for more updates. Till then, comment below which I Am Legend ending you liked better.
