Will Smith has been having a pretty good 2022. The superstar already landed a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in the sports drama “King Richard” and looks to return to a role that audiences might not have seen coming. Warner Bros. wants to revive “I Am Legend” with a sequel. The 2007 film saw Smith playing an immune survivor of a viral pandemic that has turned humans into monstrous mutants.
Deadline reports that not only will Smith reprise the role of scientist Robert Neville, but he’ll also co-star with Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther”) in the untitled sequel. Akiva Goldsman, who wrote the original film is back as its screenwriter too. The post-apocalypse book authored by Richard Matheson was previously adapted for the big screen with films such as “The Last Man On Earth” and “The Omega Man.”
It’s quite the turnaround, as Smith was vocal in 2012 about not being interested in returning.
A director wasn’t named, but it’s worth mentioning Jordan is making his directorial debut with “Creed III” and could be an organic choice. If you’re not familiar with the original film here is the synopsis:
Robert Neville, a brilliant scientist, is a survivor of a man-made plague that transforms humans into bloodthirsty mutants. He wanders alone through New York City, calling out for other possible survivors, and works on finding a cure for the plague using his own immune blood. Neville knows he is badly outnumbered and the odds are against him, and all the while, the infected wait for him to make a mistake that will deliver Neville into their hands.
Once upon a time, Ridley Scott was originally set to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger in an atmospheric 1990s version of “I Am Legend” with practical makeup for the creatures before the studio pivoted to the Will Smith version that opted for wonky CGI instead of in-camera effects.
Given the popularity and box office success of “A Quiet Place,” it was only a matter of time that Warners realized they had a similar project in their library. It doesn’t hurt having popular actors like Smith and Jordan attached instead of simply rebooting.