Summary

• I Am Legend 2 is confirmed and in pre-production, with the original screenwriter returning, but it's unclear if the director will be back.
• Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan will lead the cast in the long-awaited sequel, with Alice Braga expressing interest in reprising her role.
• The story of I Am Legend 2 will deviate from the original movie's ending and follow the alternate ending, taking inspiration from The Last of Us and exploring a post-apocalyptic world in New York City.

After over 15 years, Warner Bros. is finally moving forward with I Am Legend 2, a sequel to the 2007 sci-fi horror hit, but updates are still sparse. Will Smith starred in the original I Am Legend, a critical and commercial success directed by Francis Lawrence. The movie adaptation is based on the classic novel of the same name by the late Richard Matheson, and it's widely considered a highlight of the big-budget CGI blockbusters that 2000s cinema is now synonymous with. The sci-fi flick also remains one of the strongest entries in Will Smith's filmography.

Since the success of I Am Legend, there has long been talk of an I Am Legend 2. However, Will Smith was a big factor in this success, but his character Robert Neville died in the controversial climax. While a prequel had been suggested, an I Am Legend sequel was eventually greenlit, with Michael B. Jordan signing on and Will Smith shockingly returning, even though Smith rarely returns for sequels. Though it'll be a while until an I Am Legend 2 actually arrives, there are still enough I Am Legend 2 updates to get excited.

Latest I Am Legend 2 News

Original Cast Member Alice Braga Wants To Appear In I Am Legend 2

In May 2023, Alice Braga, who played Anna in I Am Legend, also weighed in on the in-development sequel. The actor didn't know I Am Legend 2 was in development, noting, "I was super surprised and very curious. I was almost jumping on the phone and saying, 'Can I please be in it? Can I please be in it? Can I please be in it?'" Anna was an important character in the first movie, and as she survived in both the theatrical ending and alternate ending, where she became Robert's traveling partner, it'd be easy to write her into I Am Legend 2.

I Am Legend 2 Is Confirmed

I Am Legend 2 Is On The Way

On March 4, 2022, reports confirmed that Warner Bros. was actively developing I Am Legend 2. In an encouraging sign, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman is returning to pen the script. An I Am Legend sequel, originally planned as a prequel starring Smith, was teased for several years following the success of the original movie, but it ultimately didn't pan out. However, though I Am Legend 2 updates are becoming more common, it still isn't clear if director Francis Lawrence will also be back.

I Am Legend 2 Production Status

The Sequel Is Still In Pre-Production

Despite a wealth of exciting updates, I Am Legend 2 is still very much locked in the pre-production phase. The movie has been gestating for a decade and a half, and it has yet to completely solidify into an official piece of the Warner Bros. slate. Often referred to as "production hell", the sequel hasn't been able to get off the ground for a variety of reasons.

However, in early December 2023, Will Smith gave a promising I Am Legend 2 update, where he explained the movie could be moving forward very soon. The Hollywood legend expressed his enthusiasm for the lore of the original film that was only seen on home video versions, and even let slip that he would soon be speaking with Michael B. Jordan directly about the new movie.

I Am Legend 2 Cast

Will Smith And Michael B. Jordan Will Lead The Cast

Will Smith will be returning as Robert Neville in I Am Legend 2, and it has also been confirmed that Creed star Michael B. Jordan will join the cast. While there is no information about the character he's playing yet, Jordan's star-power will certainly help lift the long-awaited sequel. Given Alice Braga's comments about wanting to be a part of the cast, it's entirely possible she also could be returning in her role as Anna.

I Am Legend 2 Story Details

What Can Happen In I Am Legend 2

Goldsman gave some pivotal I Am Legend 2 updates regarding the movie's story details, and he confirmed it will take place decades after the events of the first movie. He also confirmed the new movie would do away with the original ending in which Neville sacrifices himself to kill the mutants and allows Anna and Ethan to escape. Instead, the sequel will follow the alternate ending that was closer to the I Am Legend book.

In the ending that I Am Legend 2 will follow, Neville realizes the infected aren't there to kill him, but rather to save one of their own — the infected that Neville captured as a test subject. He then understands that they see him as a monster, just as he sees them. Goldsman also pointed to The Last of Us as a strong inspiration for the sequel. He admitted that he was interested in examining a post-apocalyptic world after nature had taken over once again. He also hinted that the story would take place in New York City just as I Am Legend did.

The fact that Goldsman intends to make the sequel much closer to the source material is the best I Am Legend 2 update possible, as the movie can delve into the idea of zombie societies and how they separated themselves into different social groups. This also gives credence to the theory that Michael B. Jordan will play a Darkseeker in I Am Legend 2.

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  I Am Legend

  Summary:

  Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure in this post-apocalyptic action thriller.

  Release Date:

  2007-12-14

  Budget:

  $150 million

  Cast:

  willow smith, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan

  Director:

  Francis Lawrence

  Genres:

  Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

  Rating:

  PG-13

  Runtime:

  101 minutes

  Writers:

  Akiva Goldsman, Mark Protosevich

  Studio(s):

  Warner Bros. Pictures

  Distributor(s):

  Warner Bros. Pictures