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I Am Legend 2 In The Works, Despite...Well, You Know

Is Will Smith going to be a zombie now?

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Creating a sequel to a film about the post-apocalypse is difficult to do when your hero eats a grenade at the end, but that's not going to stop Will Smith and Akiva Goldsman from attempting to raise its moldy corpse from the grave. Word today is that the pair will be back to produce a sequel to their hit film, and have hired Arash Amel, a relative unknown, to craft the script for it.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Smith has "the potential to star," although of course it'd be difficult to see how that would be possible unless this were a prequel to the original story. That might be an interesting tactic to take, though, as New York City's survivors are scrubbed clean by the ever-increasing predations of the fevered masses; the problem there would be, of course, the fact that we all know that Robert Neville winds up on his own at the end, thus leaving the fate of any of his companions not exactly a mystery.

Not much more information is available at the moment, but given that the first film made almost $600 million worldwide, it's no surprise that the producers hope there's some kind of franchise potential here.

Sogemanon Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:07 p.m.

They could George Lucas it and just make the alternate ending the real one and pretend that's how it always was.

CrimsonAvengeron Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:10 p.m.

But Will Smith has gotten older since then so a prequel seems rather impossible especially if he stars in it.

skrutopon Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:21 p.m.
They could remake it and, instead of pussying out, actually follow the original story.
PatVB moderator on Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:21 p.m.

I would really prefer a movie based more directly on the book. It takes the story in an entirely different (and more interesting) direction.

Onion Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:22 p.m.

Why? Why is this a thing?

Will Smith is so fucking terrible. I've never seen him be a good in any movie where he's playing more than a loveable goofball (ie. himself). Seven Pounds is probably one of the most boring, blatantly exploitative films I've ever seen.

RockinKemosabe is online on Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:24 p.m.

I watched the film again a few weeks ago and I still thought it was good, ending and zombies aside.

Milkmanon Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:24 p.m.
@Oni said:

Why? Why is this a thing?

Will Smith is so fucking terrible. I've never seen him be a good in any movie where he's playing more than a loveable goofball (ie. himself). Seven Pounds is probably one of the most boring, blatantly exploitative films I've ever seen.

Dude...what? You may not love all his movies but Will Smith is one of the biggest movie stars in the world for a reason. The dude oozes charisma. 
Onion Feb. 17, 2012 at 2:26 p.m.

@Milkman said:

@Oni said:

Why? Why is this a thing?

Will Smith is so fucking terrible. I've never seen him be a good in any movie where he's playing more than a loveable goofball (ie. himself). Seven Pounds is probably one of the most boring, blatantly exploitative films I've ever seen.

Dude...what? You may not love all his movies but Will Smith is one of the biggest movie stars in the world for a reason. The dude oozes charisma.

Yeah, and he's a good funny man. He is an absolutely awful dramatic actor.

TheHumanDoveon Feb. 17, 2012 at 3:50 p.m.

@Sogeman said:

They could George Lucas it and just make the alternate ending the real one and pretend that's how it always was.

zing

cexantuson Feb. 17, 2012 at 3:52 p.m.

@Milkman:

I can't really agree with that, especially since I Am Legend proved that he certainly can handle more serious (at least compared to what he's usually known for) material.

steelknight2000on Feb. 17, 2012 at 4:12 p.m.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

hrn212on Feb. 17, 2012 at 4:36 p.m.

Aw man! What the heck? I hated I Am Legend...maybe I should read the book as from what I hear, I'd probably like it more.

One thing's for sure...I'm glad I'm not going to be in New York while they film this thing. It was annoying enough the first time around.

Mercy_on Feb. 17, 2012 at 5:13 p.m.

@PatVB: What was the ending of the book?

Dylabalooon Feb. 17, 2012 at 5:13 p.m.

@skrutop said:

They could remake it and, instead of pussying out, actually follow the original story.

Not with Will Smith. They should remake the film, going by the book, about 10 years from now when this one has blown over.

Surllioon Feb. 17, 2012 at 5:33 p.m.

No. Just....No. Didn't you kill the book bad enough the first time?!

Martin_Blankon Feb. 17, 2012 at 5:45 p.m.

 that's not going to stop Will Smith and Akiva Goldsman from attempting to raise its moldy corpse from the grave.

I don't think anything can stop Akiva Goldsman. He's the unstoppable hack of all good author's nightmares.
 
I wouldn't even mind 'Will Smith's I am Legend' if they had just called it something else. I can appreciate The Omega Man's cheese factor, and be entertained by it, simply because they didn't take a huge shit on the novel by associating with it directly. 
 
I'd love to see a true adaption of the novel, with Kurt Russel as Neville. Fashioning wooden stakes while classical music blares in the background, and he drinks himself to sleep.
snake_runneron Feb. 17, 2012 at 6:44 p.m.

Just remake the whole damn movie. I wanted it to be good, but that second half was so stupid. Just do it again, but better.

ninjasquirrel0on Feb. 17, 2012 at 8:14 p.m.

DUMB DUMB STUPID AND DUMB

Dizzyhipposon Feb. 17, 2012 at 8:19 p.m.

well there is the alt ending where he gives the zombie lady back and they allow them all to leave and the three of them find some town with people, but retconing that movie seems stupid

PatVB moderator on Feb. 17, 2012 at 8:39 p.m.

@courtney12490 said:

@PatVB: What was the ending of the book?

Basically, he realizes that the vampire-things had built a full society and that by spending all his time hunting them, he had become the real monster. He lets the vampires kill him because he no longer sees any point in living.

Dig Deeper into I Am Legend

Robert Neville is immune to a vampire-esque infection and spends most of his time trying to find 'the cure', looking for fellow survivors and talking to mannequins in a (failed?) attempt to stay sane.

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