'I Am Legend 2' - Sequel Moving Forward - Blu-ray Forum

Hunk Golden · 02-17-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Warner Bros. Moves Forward With 'I Am Legend' Sequel; Prequel Dead

Despite missing the point of Richard Matheson‘s original novel and using crummy CG, I Am Legend made $585 million worldwide because that’s just what Will Smith does. For those who missed the flick, Smith played scientist Robert Neville, the last man in a post-apocalyptic world that was taken over by mutant vampires. Back in September 2008, we reported that Warner Bros. had hired D.B. Weiss (now the co-creator of Game of Thrones) to pen the screenplay for a prequel based on input by Smith, I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence, producer James Lassiter, and co-writer Akiva Goldsman. Then the movie lapsed into development hell, and I hoped it would stay there.

But Warner Bros. has remembered the dormant project, and now they along with Overbrook Entertainment and Goldsman have closed a deal to make another installment in the franchise.

Screenwriter Arash Amel (The Expatriate) will pen the script, and according to Deadline, the movie is not a prequel. Smith won’t sign on until the script is finished, and there’s no word if Lawrence will return. I’m not sure how you bring Smith’s character back, and a sequel would seem easier if the actor chooses not to return since you could bring in a new protagonist. Of course, if I Am Legend had gone with the original (and better) ending where Neville survives, they wouldn’t have to jump through hoops to revive the character.

As far as the prequel idea goes, Lawrence once explained,

Quote:

That was the real reason I wanted to do the movie in the first place, really, was the idea of ‘What does that world look like, what does it do to you when you’re by yourself? … What does it do without people, without companionship and sound and the loss of your family, without anybody to talk to? I think that’s really what people connected to, and so the tough thing is, how do we do that again and in a different way?

None of the prequel talk was ever very convincing, but in reality this all sounds like Warner Bros. trying to come up with a legit reason to put Will Smith back in a film framework that earned half a billion the last time around.

Source

MykeHavoc · 02-17-2012, 04:21 PM

They're running out of Smith movies to sequelize. Hope you guys are ready for Wild Wild West 2

Rocket75 · 02-17-2012, 04:21 PM

They should have stayed with the original ending.

HockeySlasher · 02-17-2012, 04:22 PM

I didn't read the article, but I'm guessing that one of Will's kids will be in it with him.

[/sarcasm]

MykeHavoc · 02-17-2012, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HockeySlasher

I didn't read the article, but I'm guessing that one of Will's kids will be in it with him.

[/sarcasm]

Oh come on, you know you'd watch a Karate Kid/I am Legend cross-over

Slim Jim · 02-17-2012, 04:32 PM

Didn't he die at the end of I am Legend?

Walts Ghost · 02-17-2012, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Warner Bros. Moves Forward With 'I Am Legend' Sequel; Prequel Dead

Despite missing the point of Richard Matheson‘s original novel and using crummy CG, I Am Legend made $585 million worldwide because that’s just what Will Smith does. For those who missed the flick, Smith played scientist Robert Neville, the last man in a post-apocalyptic world that was taken over by mutant vampires. Back in September 2008, we reported that Warner Bros. had hired D.B. Weiss (now the co-creator of Game of Thrones) to pen the screenplay for a prequel based on input by Smith, I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence, producer James Lassiter, and co-writer Akiva Goldsman. Then the movie lapsed into development hell, and I hoped it would stay there.

But Warner Bros. has remembered the dormant project, and now they along with Overbrook Entertainment and Goldsman have closed a deal to make another installment in the franchise.

Screenwriter Arash Amel (The Expatriate) will pen the script, and according to Deadline, the movie is not a prequel. Smith won’t sign on until the script is finished, and there’s no word if Lawrence will return. I’m not sure how you bring Smith’s character back, and a sequel would seem easier if the actor chooses not to return since you could bring in a new protagonist. Of course, if I Am Legend had gone with the original (and better) ending where Neville survives, they wouldn’t have to jump through hoops to revive the character.

As far as the prequel idea goes, Lawrence once explained,

Quote:

That was the real reason I wanted to do the movie in the first place, really, was the idea of ‘What does that world look like, what does it do to you when you’re by yourself? … What does it do without people, without companionship and sound and the loss of your family, without anybody to talk to? I think that’s really what people connected to, and so the tough thing is, how do we do that again and in a different way?

None of the prequel talk was ever very convincing, but in reality this all sounds like Warner Bros. trying to come up with a legit reason to put Will Smith back in a film framework that earned half a billion the last time around.

Source

Walts Ghost · 02-17-2012, 04:34 PM

Wow, we posted the thread at the same time...haha. Nice.

Jesse757x · 02-17-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slim Jim

Didn't he die at the end of I am Legend?

yes. Although, in the alternate ending he survived. I wouldn't mind watching a sequel without Will Smith's character but if he is supposedly still alive then it sort of ruins the first movie.

Zero_Cool · 02-17-2012, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slim Jim

Didn't he die at the end of I am Legend?

Yeah but for the longest time the fiilm company kept talking about doing a prequel. Him testing the drugs and stuff. Get to see the first person change.

Edit: Now after reading the article they are not doing a prequel.

Edit #2: Plus they will need a will Smith movie to come ouf for July 4th weekend. Has not happened in a few years.

Talyn · 02-17-2012, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero_Cool

Yeah but for the longest time the fiilm company kept talking about doing a prequel. Him testing the drugs and stuff. Get to see the first person change.

Edit: Now after reading the article they are not doing a prequel.

Edit #2: Plus they will need a will Smith movie to come ouf for July 4th weekend. Has not happened in a few years.

He's got Men in Black 3 this year...

AS for other movies he's been in that could deliver sequels....If anything, Bad Boys 3 is really the only logical sequel he should and could and very well, may, do!

Snicket · 02-17-2012, 05:35 PM

I saw this being reported this morning as a prequel and a sequel so I'm not sure what to believe.

It's kinda hard to do a sequel considering how the first ended and the whole idea is to bring Will Smith back to the screen for WB.

Either way this is something I could get behind considering its a well told story as I enjoyed the first.

More than likely though something is telling me this will never make it out of the planning stage.

Pondosinatra · 02-17-2012, 05:40 PM

I'm holding out of the remake of the reimaging of the sequel....

EricJ · 02-17-2012, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero_Cool

Yeah but for the longest time the fiilm company kept talking about doing a prequel. Him testing the drugs and stuff. Get to see the first person change.

Edit: Now after reading the article they are not doing a prequel.

Yeah, the original idea was to clean up at least a half-hour's worth of deleted flashback scenes that never made it into the final cut (the scene where the girl tries to start a religious discussion is all that's left of it), coupled with the prequel Flash comic book from the website.
And since it's been years since anyone talked about that, we can assume it melted and left behind only the memo for doing "another movie", so Will will likely be going to a West coast city this time, fighting more zombies, and meeting another light-skinned Latina love-interest.

(Oh, and not sure, but at some point in the movie he'll probably droop his sunglasses and say "Do I look like I give a damn?"

)

Quote:

Edit #2: Plus they will need a will Smith movie to come ouf for July 4th weekend. Has not happened in a few years.

Ever since Wild Wild West (and even that didn't quite work out as planned), Studio Superstition has associated July 4 = Men in Black. FIFTEEN YEARS, people.
Never mind Transformers, say "July 4", and by conditioned reflex, they immediately think about what Will Smith is doing this week.

Jennifer Lawrence Fan · 02-17-2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talyn

He's got Men in Black 3 this year...

AS for other movies he's been in that could deliver sequels....If anything, Bad Boys 3 is really the only logical sequel he should and could and very well, may, do!

Yes! This do it! Been close to 10 years since the last.

Hunk Golden · 02-17-2012, 06:09 PM

Will's sticking to his sure fire box office success formula. I like a lot of his stuff, but I wish he'd branch out.

"I study patterns," he says. "Nine out of the top 10 biggest movies of all times have special effects; eight out of 10 have creatures in them; seven out of 10 have a love story. So if you want a hit, you might want to throw those in the mix. I just study patterns and try to stand where lightning strikes."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/...ll-smith_N.htm

remake · 02-17-2012, 06:14 PM

Another sequel we don't need.

Seymour · 02-17-2012, 06:20 PM

Will Smith has sequel fever: MIBIII, Hancock 2, I Am Legend sequel/prequel, and possibly Bad Boys 3...Might as well bring back Fresh Prince at this point.

EricJ · 02-17-2012, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunk Golden

Will's sticking to his sure fire box office success formula. I like a lot of his stuff, but I wish he'd branch out.

"I study patterns," he says. "Nine out of the top 10 biggest movies of all times have special effects; eight out of 10 have creatures in them; seven out of 10 have a love story. So if you want a hit, you might want to throw those in the mix. I just study patterns and try to stand where lightning strikes."

...Well, his narcissistic "Hairshirt saint" movies like Seven Pounds and Pursuit of Happyness are pretty well insulated from electricity, aren't they?

hawaii sun · 02-17-2012, 06:45 PM

The only sequel that he should be doing is Bad Boys 3.

02-17-2012, 04:21 PM	#2
MykeHavoc Blu-ray Guru Member since:Nov 2011 Location:Nashua, NH Blu-ray collection:397 DVD collection:772 Digital collection:4 Trading Score:1	They're running out of Smith movies to sequelize. Hope you guys are ready for Wild Wild West 2

02-17-2012, 04:21 PM	#3
Rocket75 Active Member Member since:Dec 2010 Location:Texas Trading Score:41	They should have stayed with the original ending.

02-17-2012, 04:22 PM	#4
HockeySlasher Power Member Member since:Oct 2008 Location:St. Paul, MN iTunes collection:563 Trading Score:39	I didn't read the article, but I'm guessing that one of Will's kids will be in it with him. [/sarcasm]

02-17-2012, 04:32 PM	#6
Slim Jim Banned Member since:Feb 2010 Blu-ray collection:1093 DVD collection:54	Didn't he die at the end of I am Legend?

02-17-2012, 04:34 PM	#8
Walts Ghost Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Jun 2010 Location:Arizona 4K collection:783 Blu-ray collection:3086 DVD collection:177 iTunes collection:34 Blu-ray reviews: 33 Trading Score:1	Wow, we posted the thread at the same time...haha. Nice.

02-17-2012, 05:35 PM	#12
Snicket Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jul 2010 4K collection:621 Blu-ray collection:1162 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:56	I saw this being reported this morning as a prequel and a sequel so I'm not sure what to believe. It's kinda hard to do a sequel considering how the first ended and the whole idea is to bring Will Smith back to the screen for WB. Either way this is something I could get behind considering its a well told story as I enjoyed the first. More than likely though something is telling me this will never make it out of the planning stage.

02-17-2012, 05:40 PM	#13
Pondosinatra Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jun 2008 Location:Calgary, Alberta Home Theater Gallery:45 Trading Score:2	I'm holding out of the remake of the reimaging of the sequel....

02-17-2012, 06:09 PM	#16
Hunk Golden Special Member Member since:Nov 2010 Location:IOW(BL)A(H) Home Theater Gallery:3 4K collection:20 Blu-ray collection:2399 DVD collection:608 MA collection:58 Digital collection:44 iTunes collection:4960 Prime collection:2353 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:5	Will's sticking to his sure fire box office success formula. I like a lot of his stuff, but I wish he'd branch out. "I study patterns," he says. "Nine out of the top 10 biggest movies of all times have special effects; eight out of 10 have creatures in them; seven out of 10 have a love story. So if you want a hit, you might want to throw those in the mix. I just study patterns and try to stand where lightning strikes." http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/...ll-smith_N.htm

02-17-2012, 06:14 PM	#17
remake Banned Member since:Aug 2011 Blu-ray collection:1 Trading Score:160	Another sequel we don't need.

02-17-2012, 06:20 PM	#18
Seymour Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Jan 2011 Blu-ray collection:3231 DVD collection:360	Will Smith has sequel fever: MIBIII, Hancock 2, I Am Legend sequel/prequel, and possibly Bad Boys 3...Might as well bring back Fresh Prince at this point.

02-17-2012, 06:45 PM	#20
hawaii sun Special Member Member since:Feb 2010 Home Theater Gallery:26 Blu-ray collection:212 DVD collection:182	The only sequel that he should be doing is Bad Boys 3.

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