Screenwriter of "I Am Legend 2" Admits to Struggles with Plot Development
The long-anticipated sequel to the sci-fi thriller I Am Legend has been stuck in development for several years, with writers reporting persistent difficulties moving the project from page to production.
Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman acknowledged the challenges in an interview with RadioTimes, but stressed he is not walking away from the film.
"I have faced a number of obstacles, but I refuse to let them defeat me. That’s the reality of the situation," Goldsman said. "We are moving forward. We are trying. We are doing everything we can to get this film into production."
Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan, both Oscar winners (Smith for King Richard and Jordan for Fahrenheit 451), are attached to star. Smith is expected to return as Robert Neville; the sequel reportedly abandons the theatrical ending of the first film and instead builds its story around the alternate ending included on the DVD, in which the protagonist survives.
There is currently no timetable for principal photography. Production is not expected to start soon in part because Michael B. Jordan is scheduled to be occupied for the next year filming the Miami Police reboot. The project’s director for Warner Bros. remains Steven Caple Jr. (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts).