I Am Legend 2
Summary
Will Smith ’s rejoinder forI Am Legend 2only reinforces the original motion-picture show ’s biggest error , age after its release . I Am Legendwas the third adaptation of Richard Matheson ’s totemic horror novel , which inspired everyone from George A. Romero to Stephen King . The novel ’s bare but ingenious premise pits the last mankind alive against a world full of vampires , but whilethe Will Smith adaptation used the book ’s concept , it change a band , including drop the grim ending . In the book , protagonist Neville realizes the vampires seehimas a goliath , as he ’s been staking them in their rest , and that they are the next step in evolution .
The dying Neville also realise that in the ten onward , he ’ll be look at a " legend " among the lamia , just as they used to be to human race . That’swaytoo dark for a Warner Bros blockbuster , butthe Will SmithI Am Legendstill ends on a semisweet Federal Reserve note , where the chief reference sacrifices himself in an explosionto save other survivors from the " Darkseeker " mutants . Despite this , I Am Legend 2is in the end happeningwith Michael B Jordan star and Smith also returning .
While the I Am Legend motion picture stays true to some construct of the original Word of God , it brings some significant change to its lore and character beats .
Will Smith Has Confirmed I Am Legend 2 Will Use The Original’s Alternate Ending
The sequel will ignore Neville’s death
While it had already been confirmedthe subsequence would useI Am Legend’salternate endingwhere Neville survived , Smith himself underscore this once more during a conversation at the Red Sea International Film Festival ( viaVariety ) . In this ending , Neville realizes the " grotesque " Darkseekers are actually animate and have been trying to rescue one of their own from Neville ’s stronghold . After he hands back this kidnapped phallus of the group , the creatures move on , and the report ends with Neville force back out of New York with Alice Braga ’s Anna to division strange .
Where to pull or purchase I Am Legend
While it might miss the more explosive close of the theatrical edit , I Am Legend’salternate close is often been cited as the superior one . It pays off the film ’s anterior hints that the Darkseekers are n’t just mindless monsters - like the way they set a trap for Neville - and it stays close to the themes of Matheson ’s Scripture .
I Am Legend 2’s Ending Retcon Confirms How Big The Original Movie’s Mistake Was
The movie’s alternate ending wasalwaysthe best choice
Related : I Am Legend 2 Using The Alternate Ending Is Good - But There ’s 1 Problem
The factI Am Legend 2can only exist due to the archetype ’s rejected conclusion is fairly ironical . Regardless of the testing screening consequence , it was the superior alternative , with the theatrical release ’s forfeiture ending feeling grandiloquent and empty in comparison . In true statement , neither close crush the ending of Matheson ’s novel , but the alternating ending at least felt in logical argument with the author ’s original melodic theme .
Why I Am Legend Changed Its Ending At The Last Minute
The theatrical ending was shot weeks before the movie premiered
I Am Legendspent years in evolution hell , where everyone from Ridley Scott to Michael Bay circle it . When it finally went into production it was strangely rushed , as a gap had opened up in Smith ’s busy schedule and it needed to be shot quickly . This haste also accounts for the weakness in the CGI Darkseekers , since they were meant to be shot practically before it was determine to throw to digital creatures during motion-picture photography . When the film was test - screened shortly before release , interview balk at the first termination .
Test audiences did n’t wish the idea Smith ’s Neville was something of a villain and wanted something more heroicand uplifting . Hence , a fresh conclusion had to be filmed just a month beforeI Am Legendhit theaters . In an interview with Lawrence atThe Messenger , he reflect with some irony that the alternate end got way better reviews , especially consider how badly it tested .
We shot that because the original ending tested really , really , really badly , and , of course , we later released the alt - ending and then that dumbfound better reviews . We shoot the theatrical ending over three days , probably three hebdomad before the movie came out . It was last - minute , because we were like , ' Oh serviceman , this ending is not screen well , we ’ve got to make out up with something and put it together fast .
It ’s unnamed what the factual concept ofI Am Legend 2will be , or how magnanimous a part Smith ’s Neville will recreate . Still , there ’s excitement for the follow - up , as despite its faults , the original motion-picture show has aged well and curb arguably Smith ’s good work as an player . I Am Legend 2may have to open with the alternate conclusion too , to excuse to audiences who only saw the theatrical cut how Neville is alive . In hindsight , it feels like Warner Bros could have saved itself a heap of annoyance had they just stand by with the original plan .
Source : Variety , The Messenger
