I Am Legend, directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Will Smith, concluded with Dr. Robert Neville using a grenade to sacrifice himself during a final confrontation with the movie's infected humans. He did so to help a woman and her son reach safety, but the alternate ending is typically considered superior among both fans and the movie's creative team.
In that scene (which was hidden away on the DVD), Neville realizes that the infected, now led by a more intelligent and empathetic creature, are not as monstrous as he thought. Their leader communicates that they only want to retrieve the female that Neville has been experimenting on to find a cure, making him realise he has become the true monster in their eyes.
He hands her over and they leave peacefully; Neville then travels to a human sanctuary while coming to terms with the fact he was the "legend" that haunted the infected beings, and that they were not the mindless monsters he believed them to be.
It's a more nuanced and thought-provoking conclusion, and one we've heard will be considered canon in the long-planned sequel. During an appearance at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia (via SFFGazette.com), Smith confirmed the alternate ending will be used as a basis for the follow-up.
"I have a call with Michael B. Jordan tomorrow," the Suicide Squad star revealed. "The script just came in. I’m probably giving away too much information. We’re going with the mythology of the DVD version where my character lived."
"I can’t tell you any more," Smith continued, "but Michael B. Jordan is in and we’re doing it."
We'd bet on Jordan playing Smith's son in the movie, especially as writer Akiva Goldsman has previously said, "This will start a few decades later than the first...I’m obsessed with The Last of Us, where we see the world just post-apocalypse but also after a 20-30-year lapse. We trace back to the original Matheson book, and the alternate ending as opposed to the released ending in the original film."
Nothing more concrete than that has been revealed, though we expect Lawrence to shoot the sequel before BioShock and Keanu Reeves' Constantine 2.
Set in a desolate, virus-ravaged New York City, I Am Legend follows Dr. Robert Neville (Smith), seemingly the last human survivor, as he searches for a cure to a virus that has turned the population into aggressive, zombie-like mutants. Neville's only companions are his loyal dog and the haunting memories of the world's collapse.
As he conducts experiments in isolation, he battles loneliness, fear, and the relentless pursuit of the infected beings. The film explores themes of isolation, survival, and the consequences of scientific experimentation, culminating in a dramatic and emotional climax that questions the nature of humanity in the face of a global pandemic.
The sequel doesn't have a confirmed release date, but we'll keep you updated as we learn more.