I Am Legend 2 producer Jon Mone teases an "unbelievably cool" story for the sequel. Released in 2007 and loosely based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel of the same name, I Am Legend starred Will Smith as the apparent last man on Earth, Dr. Robert Neville, a former U.S. Army virologist who is immune to an infection that turns humans into vampiric creatures known as Darkseekers. The film was a success at the box office, grossing $585 worldwide on a $150 million budget, with particular praise going towards Smith's performance.
Earlier this month, Warner Bros. shocked everyone with the surprise announcement that I Am Legend 2 was in development with Smith set to return as Neville alongside Creed and Black Panther's Michael B. Jordan in an undisclosed role. Both lead stars will also produce the project, while veteran screenwriter Akiva Goldsman also returning to write the script, though it's unclear if director Francis Lawrence will be back. With I Am Legend 2 still in early development, there are no plot details available yet, and audiences are rife with anticipation as they await more news about the sequel.
Appearing on the red carpet alongside Smith at the PGA Awards, King Richard producer Jon Mone took some time to tease I Am Legend 2's story, saying it is rooted in an "unbelievably cool idea." Though he couldn't reveal to Deadline Hollywood whether the sequel is based on one of the graphic novels, Mone did credit the minds of Smith, Goldsman, and Jordan for coming up with an "incredible angle" to continue the story. Read his full quote below:
It's an unbelievably cool idea, an idea that made [Smith] and Akiva believe that it was worth telling another story. It's based on the minds of Will, Akiva, and Michael B. Jordan who came up with an incredible angle for how you can continue that story.
Right now, most of the intrigue surrounding I Am Legend 2's story is regarding how they will work around the apparent death of Neville, who sacrificed himself during the film's final moments to save the cure, solidifying his legend status. This was a significant deviation from the source material that seemingly rendered a sequel impossible. I Am Legend's special features include an alternate ending that more closely follows the novel, as Neville survives the lab attack and abandons his experiments in search of a better life.
It remains to be seen whether the continuation will retcon the original ending, pick up where the alternate one left off, or even go in the direction of cloning Smith's I Am Legend character. Whatever angle the sequel takes to bring Neville back, it seems to be a fresh and innovative idea considering what Smith and Mone have revealed thus far. Keep an eye out for more teases as I Am Legend 2 progresses through development.
Source: Deadline Hollywood