It's official: A director has been found for I Am Legend 2!

After years of uncertainty, "I Am Legend 2" is finally making concrete progress! As the industry website Collider recently reported during a discussion about the upcoming Netflix series "Man on Fire", Steven Caple Jr. has taken over as director for the sequel.

Caple Jr., who most recently made headlines with the blockbuster "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts", was already considered a top favorite at Warner Bros. back in 2024. His hiring also marks an interesting reunion behind the scenes. The director brought "Creed 2", starring Michael B. Jordan, to theaters in 2019. Now, the Oscar winner will also appear alongside Will Smith in "I Am Legend 2".

Despite these positive developments, the film's production is not yet a done deal. According to the director, the project is currently still in the development phase. However, a finished screenplay is already available from Akiva Goldsman, who also wrote the script for the original.

Goldsman emphasizes that this time around, they intend to stay even closer to Richard Matheson's original novel. The focus here is on the idea that humanity is no longer the dominant species on Earth.

The story is set, the crew is almost complete – the big question remains: When will "I Am Legend 2" hit theaters? A 2024 release was originally planned – but that was quite a while ago. Those involved leave no doubt that they want to make the film. Nevertheless, there are still no concrete plans for the start of production.

What is the sequel about?

The plot of "I Am Legend 2" is based on the alternate ending of the first film. This is a key prerequisite for seeing Will Smith again – after all, his character died in the theatrical release. In the home video version, however, viewers could also see an alternate version of the story in which he survives. In this version, he realizes that the infected are sentient beings with their own society. He eventually leaves the city with other survivors.

The sequel is set to take place several decades after the first film. There are even plans to portray Will Smith as older in the story than he actually is. The actor spoke about the sequel as early as 2022: He initially didn't believe in a second installment. But the idea for the planned story eventually won him over. He even called it a "damn cool concept". Screenwriter Goldsman stated that he was inspired for Part 2 by the well-known video game "The Last of Us". An intriguing statement – after all, the game was released several years after "I am Legend". In fact, the film was, in turn, one of the sources of inspiration for the game.

The Cast

Will Smith isn't the only star set to appear in "I am Legend 2". Also on board is "Sinners" actor Michael B. Jordan. Early speculation long suggested that he would take on the role of the former main character's son. However, Smith dispelled this rumor in April 2025 during a podcast: Instead, Jordan plays the leader of a settlement in Connecticut. He also plays a key role in the development of the sequel. In the same interview, Smith also mentioned that he and Goldsman had originally planned a prequel before deciding on a sequel.

An absolute classic

The book "I Am Legend" has been adapted for the screen several times: in the 1960s with horror actor Vincent Price and in the 1970s with Charlton Heston. For the 2007 film, Ridley Scott and Michael Bay were at one point in the running to direct, with Arnold Schwarzenegger among those considered for the lead role. In the end, however, it was, as is well known, Will Smith – and one of his most famous roles to this day.