I Am Legend Alternate Ending: All You Have To Know

I Am Legend Alternate Ending: In Francis Lawrence’s 2007 action thriller “I Am Legend,” Will Smith plays Robert Neville, a virologist for the US Army. The film is based partially on a 1954 novel by Richard Matheson and takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of New York City. A virus originally found to treat cancer has killed off most of mankind, leaving the surviving as nocturnal mutants.

Neville, who is immune to the virus, finds himself the only human left in New York, where he must battle hostile mutants in the quest for a cure. The first two adaptations of Matheson’s book were made in 1964 and 1971; this one is the third.

“I Am Legend” began to take form in 1994, involving several actors and directors. Production was, however, delayed due to budgetary concerns pertaining to the screenplay. Filming finally took place in New York City in 2006; one of the highlights was a $5 million sequence at the Brooklyn Bridge.

The movie released in both North America and the US on December 14, 2007. Without taking inflation into account, it shattered the record for a non-Christmas film’s opening weekend gross. A total of $585 million was earned internationally, $256 million domestically, and $329 million domestically.

Despite Will Smith’s excellent performance, critics noted that the film deviated from the novel, especially in the ending.

In 2022, it was revealed that a sequel was under development. Not only is Will Smith set to reprise his role as Robert Neville, he will co-produce the film with Michael B. Jordan, who will also feature prominently.

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I Am Legend Alternate Ending

The alternate ending of “I Am Legend” changes somewhat from the original and delves considerably further into the story. As it happens, the affected animals—referred to as Darkseekers—have sentience. The protagonist, played by Will Smith as Robert Neville, learns that they are more than simply mindless creatures; they are sentient beings with feelings and ideas.

Neville had been conducting extremely demanding experiments, one of which involved kidnapping a female test subject. The monsters do not want to harm him; rather, they attack his place to rescue their companion. This realisation shakes Neville to his core, making him question his moral behaviour.

Unlike the original conclusion, when Neville sacrifices his life to save others, the alternate ending shows the animals parting ways peacefully after regaining their companion. This realisation changes Neville, so he takes the medicine and heads to Vermont with the other survivors.

The alternate ending gained popularity because it stays faithful to the original literature while giving the story additional depth. The sequel, “I Am Legend 2,” will feature a different ending according to popular demand.

The original conclusion, in which Neville surrenders himself, did not sit well with everyone. Test viewers had varied opinions; some felt that the book’s moral message—which goes beyond just defeating zombies—was overlooked.

They are now going for a different resolution with “I Am Legend 2” to continue the story. Fans are eager to see what comes next after the answer to the question of Will Smith’s character’s survival.

Though these issues still linger, it is predicted that the sequel would go more into Neville’s post-survivor activities and his treatment of the cure. It’s important because the alternative ending expands on the story’s meaning and paves the road for a compelling sequel.