Warner Bros. announced I Am Legend 2 with Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan four years ago, and fans are still waiting for a real sign that the sequel is heading toward cameras. Now, the man writing the film has admitted that the journey has been anything but smooth.
Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote the 2007 original and is scripting the follow-up, opened up about the project during an interview with RadioTimes. He did not try to sugarcoat things:
I have run up against a series of obstacles that I refuse to allow to defeat me. That is the truth of that one. We’re pressing on. We’re trying. We’re doing everything we can to get it made.
Goldsman did not reveal what those obstacles are, but the sequel has hit plenty of speed bumps along the way. In 2023, the writers’ strike forced him to stop working on a script he had already started (via The Playlist).
Later, even Michael B. Jordan shared a progress report that hinted at a long wait for fans (via PEOPLE). And while the film has since found a director, there is still no filming start or release date on the calendar. Still, Goldsman’s words make one thing clear. He is not ready to give up on Will Smith‘s Robert Neville just yet.
I Am Legend 2 Also Has a Promising Update
Not everything Akiva Goldsman shared was gloomy. Fans who never recovered from the heartbreak of the first movie can finally relax. The writer promised that no dog will die in the sequel. He shared with Radio Times, “I fear that I would not survive the backlash should we kill another dog.”
In the 2007 film, Sam, Neville’s loyal German Shepherd, was his only friend in an empty New York City. During a night attack, she was bitten by infected dogs while trying to protect him. As the virus slowly took over her body, Neville had no choice but to strangle her with his own hands.
To this day, it remains one of the most painful scenes in the movie. Goldsman knows exactly how much that moment hurt audiences. He acknowledged the backlash for the scene, sharing:
I’d like to point out that between the opening shot and the next shot, we killed almost everybody on the planet. That was OK. You kill one dog – I’ve never had more walkouts during test screenings.
While many audiences wept their eyes out during this scene in theaters, there were others who chose to do what the test audiences did. Taking Sam out was crossing the line for them.
What Do We Know About Will Smith’s Sequel So Far?
Will Smith in I Am Legend | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. first confirmed I Am Legend 2 back in 2022, with Will Smith returning as Robert Neville and Michael B. Jordan joining him. Both stars are also producing, while Akiva Goldsman handles the script.
Earlier this year, Steven Caple Jr. officially came on board to direct (via Collider). He is no stranger to big projects, having helmed Creed II and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. However, the movie still has no release date.
The biggest change is the story itself. The sequel will ignore the theatrical ending, where Neville blows himself up to save the survivors. Instead, it will build on the alternate ending from the home release.
In that version, Neville realizes the Darkseekers can think and feel. He hands back the female he captured, the creatures let him live, and he leaves New York alive with Anna and Ethan.
According to Deadline, the new film will stay closer to Richard Matheson’s original novel and take place a few decades after the first movie. Neville will come across a community of survivors in Connecticut, led by Jordan’s character.
What are your expectations for this Will Smith sequel? Let us know in the comments below!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
