In 2007, Will Smith battled vampires in the action thriller movie I Am Legend. The movie based on a book by Richard Matheson saw Smith in the lead role, as the last man on Earth amid an apocalypse of blood-thirsty brutes. But now, 15 years later, a sequel has been given the greenlight, with Smith returning, alongside MCU actor Michael B. Jordan.
The original horror movie was a huge box-office success, grossing just over $585m worldwide, so the only surprise here is that it’s taken this long for a sequel to go into development. Will Smith is a bonafide box-office king, so putting him back in to the world of I Am Legend was always going to be a banker for a sure-fire hit.
Throwing in Michael B. Jordan, who played the villain in Black Panther, into the mix, is also bound to be a very popular choice. The young actor has shot to prominence since joining the MCU, along with a leading role in the new chapter of the Rocky franchise, as the titular Creed in his own trilogy of boxing movies.
According to Deadline, Smith will return to star and produce the I Am Legend sequel. Given the fate of Smith’s character, Robert Neville, in the conclusion of the first film, it remains to be seen how Smith will return to play a part in the follow up.
Jordan will also star and produce alongside Smith. Oscar-winning producer Akiva Goldsmith, who took on the task of adapting the novel the first time around, will also pen the screenplay for the I Am Legend sequel.
It’s very much early days, with the project just entering development stages at the moment, so any plot details are staying private for the meantime.