Summary
Will Smith has had a long and successful career as an A-list movie star, and the upcoming sequelI Am Legend 2could break new ground in his career thanks to the inclusion of Michael B. Jordan. WhileI Am Legend 2has been confirmed, there aren’t many details yet about what direction it will take. It’s known that thealternate ending fromI Am Legend, which is far more consistent with the original Richard Matheson novel’s ending, will provide the direction for the sequel. As a result, Will Smith’s Robert Neville is poised to return for the sequel.
While the movie is still circling a director, it has been announced that Michael B. Jordan (Creed) would be joining the cast alongside Smith. There are no details available yet about what Jordan’s role will be in the post-apocalyptic world depicted inI Am Legend,but it’s safe to bet that a star of his caliber is slated for a major role. If he is, there is the possibility that the sequel will mark a career first for Will Smith.
I Am Legend 2 Can Introduce A Big Darkseeker Twist From The Book That Will Smith’s OG Movie Ignored
Will Smith’s upcoming sequel to 2007’s I Am Legend can turn to the source material to honor the original book while also advancing the story.
Will Smith’s Sequels Have Never Introduced A New Franchise Lead
Smith typically carries each franchise himself
While Smith has been a leading man for most of his career in movies, he is somewhat short on franchises.The only true franchises he’s starred in have been theBad BoysandMen In Blackmovie series, and in both cases he’s played part of a duo. He’s had several other opportunities for franchises, includingSuicide Squad,Hancock,After Earth,Bright, andGemini Man.They all had potential for sequels, but with the exception ofHancock’s rumored sequel, none have ever gotten off the ground.
As early as 2008, there were plans for a prequel involving Smith’s Robert Neville that would cover the devastating outbreak of the virus and what happened to Neville as he and the final survivors make their last stand. Plans were ultimately scrapped in 2011.
However, in both franchises, he has been the unquestioned star. Granted, he did not appear in 2019’sMIB: International, but that operated more as a spin-off than a direct sequel to the series that Smith and Tommy Lee Jones starred in. WhileMen In Black 3did sort of replace Tommy Lee Jones with Josh Brolin as a younger version of the character,Will Smith has never been replaced in a franchise himself.I Am Legend 2could be the first case of him handing the baton off to another actor to carry the franchise.
I Am Legend 2 Could Set Up Michael B. Jordan To Replace Will Smith
If the story continues, Jordan could take the lead
One of the biggest criticisms of the originalI Am Legendwas its ending, which many felt betrayed the source material and missed the point of Matheson’s novel. By adopting the movie’s alternate ending, there is greater opportunity to explore the post-apocalyptic world, and that’s how Michael B. Jordan likely enters the narrative. Whether it’s as a member of a survivor colony or a fellow loner with some sort of genetic immunity to the virus that ravaged humanity,Jordan’s character has the ability to replace Will Smith’s Robert Neville in the narrative.
Robert Neville sacrificed himself in the original ending toI Am Legend, which allowed for the potential cure for the virus that he discovered to make it to a survivor colony.I Am Legend 2could see him follow a similar path, which would clear the way for Jordan to take over as the franchise lead. It would be a career first for Smith, but it could be a great way to open up the franchise to further possibilities,ending Robert Neville’s story so that Michael B. Jordan’s character can lead the series in a new direction.
I Am Legend 2
Cast
I Am Legend 2 is a sequel to the 2007 film that sees Will Smith reprise his role as Dr. Robert Neville. Despite the theatrical release of the original film showing Neville’s demise, the film picks up where the alternate ending left off, with Neville surviving and heading off to spread the cure.
