The long-awaited sequel to ‘I Am Legend’ will take place several decades after its predecessor, which means the zombies (or vampires according to the theories), called Darkseekers, could be very different…
I Am Legend 2 is in the works and today we learn that the Darkseekers, as they are called in the film, will be completely different from what they were in Francis Lawrence’s first opus. Filmmaker Akiva Goldsman, helming the project after co-writing the first film, has confirmed that the sequel will mark the return of Will Smith as Robert Neville. And he will be accompanied by Michael B. Jordan whose role is not yet known. Other details revealed by the director also hint at significant changes for the upcoming film.
In an interview with Deadline (via Sensacine), Akiva Goldsman explained that the sequel would follow the events of the first installment’s alternate ending. In this version, Robert Neville had realized that the monsters were not as stupid as he thought and that, although violent and cannibalistic, they were capable of thought and complex plans. Still, he and Anna (Alice Braga) set off with the cure he had created in hopes of healing the world. i am legend 2 will pick up 20-30 years after these events and the director said the plot is much closer to the novel the original film is based on. This indicates that when Will Smith come back, the world will be very different.
AN EVOLUTION OF ZOMBIES/VAMPIRES
I Am Legend is based on a book of the same name written by science fiction author Richard Matheson. The plot follows a man named Robert Neville, who believed himself to be the last of civilization after a pandemic of vampires (not zombies). There are two types of infected: those who were essentially reanimated corpses (more like zombies) and those who were technically alive (more like vampires). Neville then dedicates his life, as the only immune person, to killing both types of monsters as they sleep during the day, while capturing others alive to study in his lab but this sparks a sort of war between him. and vampires.
Eventually, Neville realizes that vampires have begun to organize themselves into advanced social groups. While the book’s ending was still very different from the first movie’s alternate ending, it still followed the idea that he was wrong to kill and experiment on vampires.
Warner Bros.
The fact that the sequel takes place several decades later suggests that the Darkseekers will have had time to evolve. However, if it turns out that the zombies don’t want to be cured and the uninfected humans are in the minority, it could lead to significant conflict.
The story of the book is only a few years long so how zombie/vampire society might have evolved over time has never been explored. So it’s hard to guess what the monsters will look like in i am legend 2. However, if the sequel focuses on the civilized potential of this new society, it’s safe to assume they’ll look a little less “wild” than before. Perhaps, as in the literary work, there will be several versions of infected humans passing for normal people. To be continued.
I Am Legend is streaming on Netflix.