Warner Bros. is finally moving forward with I Am Legend 2 after over 15 years, but details concerning the sci-fi sequel are still sparse. Will Smith starred in the original I Am Legend, a critical and commercial success directed by Francis Lawrence. The movie adaptation is based on the classic novel of the same name by the late Richard Matheson, and it’s widely considered a highlight of the big-budget CGI blockbusters of 2000s cinema. The sci-fi flick also remains one of the strongest entries in Will Smith’s extensive filmography.

Since the success of I Am Legend, there has long been talk of a sequel, but that poses a unique narrative challenge. Will Smith was a big factor in the first movie’s success, but his character, Robert Neville, died in the controversial climax. While a prequel had been suggested, an I Am Legend sequel was eventually greenlit, with Michael B. Jordan joining the cast. Will Smith is coming back too, even though Smith rarely returns for sequels. Though it’ll be a while until I Am Legend 2 actually arrives, the project is shaping up to be an exciting legacy sequel.

The Latest I Am Legend 2 News

Will Smith Clarifies The Story Direction For The Sequel

Perhaps the most talked-about aspect of the upcoming sequel is the story, and the latest news clarifies story details for I Am Legend 2. Bringing back Smith’s Robert Neville character always posed a significant challenge for the sequel, and plans to make it a prequel were also floated. However, Smith now confirms that I Am Legend 2 is indeed a sequel, and will follow the continuity of Matheson’s original ending instead of the movie’s reviled conclusion. This means that Neville survived to star in the follow-up.

Smith also dropped some key details about Michael B. Jordan’s character, revealing that he won’t be appearing as Neville’s son. Instead, Jordan is “the head of a new settlement” in Connecticut, but that’s all that Smith could offer for the time being. It’s also important to note that Smith qualified his statements by saying “Jordan’s character currently is” the settlement’s leader, meaning the script probably still isn’t set in stone.

Read Will Smith’s full quote here:

What we were gonna do was the prequel, so we were gonna do the prequel. … And [Akiva Goldsman] was like, but wait, what if we make a new version from the alternate ending, where your character is still alive and you know, Michael B. Jordan’s character currently is the head of a new settlement… He’s not my son… So there’s a settlement in Connecticut.

I Am Legend 2 Is Confirmed

I Am Legend 2 Is On The Way

On March 4, 2022, reports confirmed that Warner Bros. was actively developing I Am Legend 2. In an encouraging sign, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman is returning to pen the script. An I Am Legend sequel, originally planned as a prequel starring Smith, was teased for several years following the success of the original movie, but it ultimately didn’t pan out. The film is still in the developmental phase, and the script doesn’t seem to be finished just yet.

I Am Legend 2 Production Status

The Sequel Is Still In Pre-Production

Despite a wealth of exciting updates, I Am Legend 2 is still very much locked in the pre-production phase. The movie has been gestating for a decade and a half, and it has yet to completely solidify into an official piece of the Warner Bros. slate. Often referred to as “production hell”, the sequel hasn’t been able to get off the ground for a variety of reasons.

Because the film is still percolating, it’s impossible to guess exactly when it will hit the big screen. Once the script is completed and satisfactory, the movie will probably be rushed into production, especially with stars like Smith and Jordan already attached. Pinning a release window on I Am Legend 2 is impossible for now, but will become clearer once filming actually begins.

I Am Legend 2 Cast Details

Will Smith & Michael B. Jordan Will Lead The Cast

Will Smith will be returning as Robert Neville in I Am Legend 2, and it has also been confirmed that Creed star Michael B. Jordan has joined the cast. Though nothings is fully set in stone yet, Jordan won’t be playing Neville’s son, but is currently the leader of a group of survivors in Connecticut. Given Alice Braga’s comments about wanting to be a part of the cast, it’s entirely possible she could also be returning to her role as Anna. No other names have been added, and casting probably won’t start in earnest for quite some time.

The confirmed cast of I Am Legend 2 includes:

Actor	I Am Legend 2 Role
Will Smith	Robert Neville
Michael B. Jordan	Unknown

I Am Legend 2 Story Details

How Will Neville Return In The Sequel?

Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman gave some pivotal I Am Legend 2 updates regarding the movie’s story details, and he confirmed it will take place decades after the events of the first movie. He also confirmed the new movie would do away with the original ending in which Neville sacrifices himself to kill the mutants and allows Anna and Ethan to escape. Instead, the sequel will follow the alternate ending that was closer to the I Am Legend book.

In the ending that I Am Legend 2 will follow, Neville realizes the infected aren’t there to kill him, but rather to save one of their own — the infected that Neville captured as a test subject. He then understands that they see him as a monster, just as he sees them. Goldsman also pointed to The Last of Us as a strong inspiration for the sequel. He admitted that he was interested in examining a post-apocalyptic world after nature had taken over once again. He also hinted that the story would take place in New York City just as I Am Legend did.

The fact that Goldsman intends to make the sequel much closer to the source material is the best I Am Legend 2 update possible, as the movie can delve into the idea of zombie societies and how they separate themselves into different social groups. Will Smith has also revealed that Michael B. Jordan’s character is the leader of a band of survivors in Connecticut, hinting at the civilization that Goldsman teased for I Am Legend 2.