The weekend after I Am Legend opened to $77 million domestic for Warner Bros., we all knew a further continuation of this series was inevitable. The movie was Will Smith’s highest opening of all time and was liked by critics and audiences a like, with his performance singled out for huge praise.
Those combinations usually = sequel.
Though, not quite in this case as bringing back Will Smith for the logical continuation of the story (a.k.a 28 Weeks Later) can’t quite be done. So the only way to get Smith back is to sacrifice the forward momentum of the series and go the PREQUEL route.
Which was yesterday confirmed by director Francis Lawrence at the Con…
“Yes, yes, absolutely, we’re actually trying to crack that. We’re trying to figure out some ideas for it, but yes, it would be a prequel.”
“In the prequel, it’s slightly different because it’s earlier. We were three years later so we did a lot of research into the way nature would have sort of overtaken the city, with the cracks in the streets and the weeds, so if it’s just back earlier, it’ll be slightly different so the approach will be different. We’re not positive of the time of the year, because if you go in winter, you can do some entirely different kinds of things.”
Lawrence confirmed that he thinks Will Smith would sign up for the movie in a heartbeat (I tend to agree) and he will soon talk to author Richard Matheson to hear his thoughts on the project. Apparentaly Matheson was delighted with last year’s movie and even sent them a letter declaring his love for the movie.
Would a prequel of this tale really be all that interesting? At the end of the day, we all know the path that is taken by Robert Neville… we all know his end fate and that of humanity, I can’t imagine how many surprises are left for us?
Sure you could add a few more characters to the piece this time around but we all know they aren’t gonna survive. The movie should unquestionably have continued from where the last movie left off if they were really desperate to do another movie… Smith or no Smith.
source – shock till you drop
7 Comments
It’s a shame that they are thinking sequel/prequel for I Am Legend. Why does every backstroy/forwardstory have to be mined and squeezed to death for the sake of box office business?
I Am Legend was enough – I’ve got a feeling that further excursions into this story are going to end up weak. We shall see though…
I Am Legend doesn’t lend itself to a franchise. And going the prequel route is pointless. This is just a studio trying to manufacture a tentpole that has Will Smith attached.
Ugh … this is fucking ridiculous. Did you hear the guy? Their idea of a “different approach” is to set the film in winter.
Whatever.
There is absolutely no drama to a prequel to I AM LEGEND, so why do it?!? Oh yeah … millions of dollars. I cannot believe some of these people have well-paying creative jobs, while truly creative filmmakers struggle in obscurity. Disgusting.
Let it go. They couldn’t figure out an ending to the movie they made. They made 2 and they both were weak.
…The irony being that if the studio had made the choice to put the movie out there with its alternate, original ending, they could have had the sequel that they want, starring Will Smith! (Anybody else have to wonder why a studio strikes a happy ending where the star survives and pays to replace it with one where he kills himself? What was in the water cooler that day?)
Evan,
You are 100% spot on.
How can they make another one? It was a great movie but they didnt follow the story from the book so i think it is going to draw people in but if they have read the book they will be very upset with the way they will make the “prequel”.
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[...] have today confirmed what director Francis Lawrence told us back in July, that an I AM LEGEND prequel is in development over at Warner Bros. and that both he and star Will [...]