Amidst Hollywood’s ongoing affair with sequels, spin-offs, and a relentless nostalgia wave, another blockbuster sequel has been added to the lineup. Breaking the news at the recent Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Will Smith revealed that he is returning to the post-apocalyptic world in I Am Legend 2 alongside the charismatic Michael B. Jordan. Those who’ve seen the 2007 post-apocalyptic action thriller may recall Will Smith’s portrayal of US Army virologist Robert Neville, who met quite a memorable and definitive end. Now, if you’re wondering how Smith’s Neville will be back in the sequel, the actor has revealed an interesting workaround.
Unlike the theatrical version, where Neville faced his demise, the upcoming instalment will draw from the alternate ending showcased in the 2007 sci-fi film’s DVD release. According to Smith, this narrative shift opens the door to a different fate for Neville, allowing for more stories. “You have to be a real ‘I Am Legend’ buff to know this, but in the first, theatrical version, my character dies, but on the DVD there was an alternate version of the ending where my character lived,” the actor clarified, referencing the film’s alternate ending, which will be adopted as canon for the upcoming sequel. “We are going with the mythology of the DVD version. I can’t tell you anything more, but Michael B. Jordan is in.”
Smith further revealed that work on I Am Legend 2 is advancing well, saying, “I have a call with Michael B. Jordan tomorrow. We’re really close. I am probably giving up too much information…the script just came in.” Besides the long-awaited confirmation of the sequel, little else is currently known. The script mentioned by Smith might not be the final version and could undergo further changes. Furthermore, details about Michael B. Jordan’s character and the rest of the cast are also undisclosed at this point.
With no director attached as of now and the I am Legend 2 talks still in their infancy, it might be a while before we get to know more about the project. This was Smith’s first public speaking engagement since his setback in 2022, following an incident at the Academy Awards where he slapped Chris Rock. Speaking at the Red Sea event, Smith did not directly address the incident or its aftermath, but there were subtle references to his experiences in some of his replies.
“Fame is a unique monster and I’ve had to be really careful… you can’t get excited when everybody is saying good things about you. The more you take when people are saying good things about you, the more hurt you’re going to be when people are saying bad things about you,” he said. Smith even talked about his aspirations for the future, expressing a personal desire to pass on his experience and expertise to a new generation of filmmakers.
“Right now, the thing I’m interested in is the transfer of knowledge. I really want to teach. I really want to teach filmmaking. I want to work with people in big movies,” he shared. “What is exciting to me about Saudi is that it’s a brand-new film community. It’s brand-new filmmakers. There’s a style of global storytelling… I’ve travelled the world and I understand the tiny little adjustments that make things global.”
Looking beyond I Am Legend 2, Smith is currently involved in over a dozen projects at different stages, including Bad Boys 4, currently in post-production. I Am Legend 2‘ has no official release date yet, and apart from Will Smith’s confirmation about the script, nothing else is known about the sequel.
Join Our Exclusive Community!
Keep up with the latest trends, best stories, and crucial updates from Man of Many direct to your inbox.
