Will Smith is ready to return to one of his iconic roles. The actor has joined the lead role in the sequel to I Am Legend, his acclaimed 2007 post-apocalyptic film, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed. Michael B. Jordan will also star in the feature film, which will be written by original film co-writer Akiva Goldsman for Warner Bros.
A sequel to I Am Legend has been discussed for a long time, and the version of the project was discussed back in 2012. Deadline broke the news for the first time about this new iteration with Jordan.
Goldsman and Mark Protosevich co-wrote the original, which was directed by Francis Lawrence and was praised for bringing intimacy to the blockbuster realm, as well as depicting barren cityscapes. The film grossed $585 million worldwide and ended with the death of Smith’s character, a scientist trying to find a cure for a plague that has killed most of humanity and turned the survivors into monstrous creatures. It’s unclear how Smith could return for the sequel.
Jordan is producing the I Am Legend sequel with Elizabeth Raposo through their Outlier Society. Smith will produce through his Westbrook Studios with John Monet. Ryan Shimazaki of Westbrook will be curating on behalf of Westbrook, with James Lassiter serving as executive producer. Goldsman, who produced the original I Am Legend, will also return to work with Greg Lessance through Weed Road Pictures.
Based on the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson, I Am Legend has long been one of Smith’s proudest accomplishments as an actor thanks to its small moments. For most of the film, he had nothing to oppose, except for dummies and a dog.
“I’m obsessed with trying to put small character dramas in the middle of blockbusters. … The most successful I’ve ever had with this concept is “I am legend,” Smith told Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. “I Am Legend could easily be a stage play, right? You know, one-man show, man with a dog – you usually think you need a little more than that for a blockbuster, but to date this is my biggest discovery and my second biggest film.”
Smith is in the running for an Oscar for his work in King Richard, having recently received a SAG Award. Jordan is gearing up to star and direct Creed III.
Smith is represented by the CAA. Jordan is represented by WME and Johnson Shapiro. Goldsman is represented by CAA and Hansen Jacobson.