Will Smith in a "Legend"

[j over]

Will Smith will topline "I Am Legend", the long-in-development adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel. Francis Lawrence, who directorial credits include "Constantine" and the upcoming animated "Eddie Dickens and the Awful End" is helming the project which is expected to now start filming in early 2007 in New York. Akiva Goldsman has rewritten the script and is also on board as a producer.


"I Am Legend" is centered around a post-apocalyptic New York in which there's only one healthy man alive and standing after a virus ravages the population. In order to survive he must battle against the creatures of the night that will wreak havoc.


Mark Protosevich wrote the original draft of the screenplay. Erwin Stoff, David Heyman and Neal Moritz are also producing.

[wcmartell]

It was LA in the book.

[scripter1]

I like Will Smith action movies.
Just for fun, don't have to take em serious, enjoy the blatant entertainment and spectacle, pop corn flicks.

LA/NY, what's the dif? ;)


(edited to fix spelling. Suffering from jet lag.)

[mad_r0]

LA/NY, what's the dif?

In L.A., nobody touches you.

We're always behind
this metal and glass.

I think we miss
that touch so much

that we crash into each other
just so we can feel something.

[Juno Styles]

sounds interesting. was the book any good?

[Ravenlocks]

spectecal
:|

[wcmartell]

The book is also legend - one of the best genre novels ever written, and the basis for almost every modern zombie or vampire film (and one of Stephen King's favorite novels). From the writer of DUEL and almost every TWILIGHT ZONE episode you can remember.

Great twist end.

- Bill

[yvonnjanae]

Does anybody remember "Omega Man" with Charlton Heston. The loglines would be almost identical

[TwoBitHack]

OMEGA MAN was actually based on I AM LEGEND.

[dpaterso]

I'd hope everyone knew that already. But wouldn't bet money on it.

For all its dated cheesiness, Omega Man is one of my favorite nostalgia movies. Watched it again on Sci-Fi Channel just the other day. I wonder what new aspect Will will bring to the role? I fear the lifeless streets of LA may tremble to the pulse of ultra high decibel rap music.

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
Stop reading this and get some writing done instead.

[TwoBitHack]

I am sure that, at some point when he is being attacked by a mutant, Smith will say- "Oh no you didn't!"

[Kid Rasta]

Will's got a lot on his plate. In addition he has, Tonight, He Comes, for which he's trying to get Bollywood supastar actress, Aishwarya Rai, to be his leading lady.

He's also attached the remake of It Takes a Thief.

[TDWoj]

I'd hope everyone knew that already. But wouldn't bet money on it.

For all its dated cheesiness, Omega Man is one of my favorite nostalgia movies. Watched it again on Sci-Fi Channel just the other day. I wonder what new aspect Will will bring to the role? I fear the lifeless streets of LA may tremble to the pulse of ultra high decibel rap music.

Doesn't it already?

[andlary1]

:|

You're such a purist.:p

[andlary1]

Will's got a lot on his plate. In addition he has, Tonight, He Comes, for which he's trying to get Bollywood supastar actress, Aishwarya Rai, to be his leading lady.

He's also attached the remake of It Takes a Thief.

Not to mention all the money to spend.

[Juno Styles]

in the hollywood reporter today they just reported that Lindsay Lohan will be the love interest in this new Will Smith movie.

[RBoss]

in the hollywood reporter today they just reported that Lindsay Lohan will be the love interest in this new Will Smith movie.

Will Smith and Lindsay Lohan? Isn't she a little young?

[TwoBitHack]

Not in Hollywood.

[RBoss]

In that case, isn't he a little too young? :D

[wcmartell]

Book was also made as LAST MAN ON EARTH with Vincent Price - better than OMEGA MAN, but neither film really gets the satire on 50's/60's suburban life from the book. It's what would happen if the LEAVE IT TO BEAVER neighborhood was dropped into the middle of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. The guy who Neville car pools to work with every morning comes at night, now... pounding on the door to let him and become one of them.

What makes the book great is that it works on so many different levels... and, though it would cost no more in budget or audience attractiveness to keep all of those levels in the film version, I'll bet they won't. This is the biggest problem with Hollywood films today - they remove anything that might elevate the story above plot-plot-plot. I understand removing anything that gets in the way of the story, but don't understand removing things that *enchance* the story.

The result is films like SENTINAL - a highly polished glossy turd.

- Bill

[j over]

I haven't read the original novel but I hope they don't turn this film into a comedic action piece and keep it as is which is obviously sci-fi horror.


On a side note, in UGO Screenwriter's Voice (http://screenwriting.ugo.com/reviews/iamlegend_scriptreview.php) script review of Mark Protosevich's take on "I Am Legend", had this to remark about the idea of casting Will Smith as the lead.


"Will Smith, bless him, has impressed me many times over in the past. But as a broken man, I simply can't buy it. This role is completely non-charm, non-pretty face, and that's an illusion I've never seen the man pull off. This is the kind of role that, in a post-ROTK-sweep world, can win Oscars. Nailing this character in the casting department is a near imperative for this film to work. Find an actor who will not be afraid to make himself look ugly, broken, pathetic, in pain...find that guy, half the movie's done. Save the pretty faces and bodies for the vampires."

[scripter1]

Should they have gone with Russell Crowe then?

Will Smith really does scream action film with comedic bent and that doesn't seem to fit the bill with this story.

I'm glad it's not Tom Cruise as well. Just something about him distracts me from the story. I can't fully accept him as his characters.

Guy Peirce or Hugh Jackman would have been good.

[Juno Styles]

Will Smith and Lindsay Lohan? Isn't she a little young?

i'm bullshi^%$# ;)

[Kid Rasta]

in the hollywood reporter today they just reported that Lindsay Lohan will be the love interest in this new Will Smith movie.

I don't think so!

[Juno Styles]

hahahahaha....i knew you would like that one kid.

[Souljacker UK]

I Am Legend is one of my favourite books of all time, and I fully back the love spread by Mr. Martell.

As for Will Smith, I like him, but he isn't right for Neville. I'd go with either Kurt Russell (maybe a little too old) or Eric Bana, as both men are capable of playing broken, repressed characters -- something I doubt Smith can handle.

Also, has anyone read Goldman's take yet? I'd love to know what he's "added" to the Protosevich draft, which I think is perfect, save the cop out ending.

*crosses fingers*

Plese let them get it right.

[amandag]

A. Mark Protosevich is God
B. Wasn't Governor Arnold supposed to be in this movie several years back?

[j over]

It's been announced that Will Smith is game to start production on "I Am Legend" this summer. This means that not only will Warner Bros. now have a potential major summer 2007 release on their hands but that production on another Will Smith project, "Tonight, He Comes", will probably be put on hold until the end of the year or in early 2007.

[DMNY]

A. Mark Protosevich is God
B. Wasn't Governor Arnold supposed to be in this movie several years back?
Yes, he was supposedly linked to the project. I agree with most, Smith is good but not for this movie.
Christian Bale would rule in this one.

[idreamofoscar]

in the hollywood reporter today they just reported that Lindsay Lohan will be the love interest in this new Will Smith movie.

I don't recall reading that today.

[j over]

According to the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, the creatures in "I Am Legend" will be "more generic monsters than bloodsuckers". I don't understand how this apparent shift will merit any actual usefulness to the storyline.

[wcmartell]

Probably a bad sign - since OMEGA MAN used generic creatures (zombie dudes). So why make wooden stakes or hang garlic? And do these creatures sleep all day?

One of the cool things about the book is that it was a *scientific* look at vampires - they explained all of the weird things in vampire lore in scientific terms and made you believe that vampires actually could be real. Because we know the rules of vampires, those things didn't need to be explained (they sleep duringthe day, they suck blood, garlic deters them but wooden stakes through the heart kills them, etc.).

My guess is that the suburban thing is gone too - since it takes place in NYC. These guys have no idea what made this book a classic.

- Bill

[j over]

Not surprisingly people are firing off about the casting of Will Smith in the film on various other websites and message boards, in particular over at IMDb.com's (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/board/threads/) page for it.

[DMNY]

At this point "Legend" looks like a turd. If they can't keep what made the book a great read--

[j over]

It's "interesting" that IMDb.com lists "I Am Legend" under Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, War but not horror. This further makes me suspect that they will be making this as more of a straight action vehicle and not a science fiction/horror film, unfortunately.

[Signal30]

*Spoilers, I suppose*

I've read both "I Am Legend" and an early (I think) draft by Protosevich. Probably from when Schwarzenegger was attatched. The script was a bit heavy on the whole Mad Max with Vampire Mutants vibe, with some howlingly bad interaction between Neville and his dog in the final stretch (meaningful looks and all).

The ending has been changed enough that Neville stating "I am legend." in the end rings just plain hollow. It holds nowhere near the power the statement carries in the novella.

Now if they reeled in the pyrotechnics, got the mutants out of the gym, and cast Mel Gibson (with beard) as the lead, they might be getting somewhere.

[j over]

Mark Protosevich's draft of "I Am Legend" can be found at the link below.


Mark Protosevich - "I Am Legend" (http://www.horrorlair.com/scripts/legend.txt)

[DMNY]

Johnny Depp added to the cast.
http://www.blackfilm.com/20060623/features/iamlegendnews.shtml

[English Dave]

If Depp is involved then it may not be as big a toilet blocking turd as The Omega Man.

It's a great book. Twice ruined by inept execution.

[DMNY]

If Depp is involved then it may not be as big a toilet blocking turd as The Omega Man.

It's a great book. Twice ruined by inept execution.
Get out of my head -- NOW :p
I thought the same, mind you, he also did Secret Window so who knows?

[j over]

Johnny Depp is playing Philip, a fellow survivor that Neville (Will Smith) comes across. JoBlo.com (http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=11914) states that apparently the character of Ben Cortman has been taken out of "I Am Legend" completely and that Akiva Goldsman's latest rewrite has turned vampires into more general monsters who are unable to speak, are more primal and unintelligent. To me, this further makes me suspect that this is another loose adaptation of the novel, unfortunately.

[DMNY]

JoBlo.com (http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=11914) states that apparently the character of Ben Cortman has been taken out of "I Am Legend" completely and that "Akiva Goldsman's rewrite apparently has the monsters unable to speak and they are more primal and unintelligent".
Nice. :rolleyes:
More unintelligent undead coming right up.

[Signal30]

Do they even know what the title refers to?

[DMNY]

Do they even know what the title refers to?
I would hope they do. After all, it is based on the novel.
What raised the flag for me is the need to change the vampires into just primitive creatures? Weren't they one of the reasons why Matheson's book was appealing?

[j over]

It's been announced that "I Am Legend" will hit theaters on November 21, 2007.

[Signal30]

Oh boy...another turkey for Thanksgiving.

[DMNY]

If it goes the way it is now. I think the stuffing would taste pretty bad.

[Signal30]

And it continues to get worse, as the stuffing leads to diarrhea and prolonged vomiting:

http://www.fangoria.com/news_article.php?id=2574

...a casting notice that got slipped Fango’s way reveals that Robert Neville, the solitary hero of Matheson’s novel (played by Will Smith in the movie), won’t be so solitary in this adaptation. Currently being sought is a child actor to play Ethan, described as “9-11 years old [with a] native British accent. One of the few survivors in the world, he is quiet and intense. An extremely intelligent and resourceful kid.”
Usually the studios wait until the sequel to insert the annoying brat sidekick, but here they've really jumped the gun and want him to have a British accent. What kind of crack are these people smoking? Is there some unwritten rule in Hollywood that a project has to go blatantly out of its way to maximize the alienation factor to the core admirers of a source material?

I generally don't get all fanboi over this sheisse, but this one is making me ill.

[DMNY]

Signal, I ain't sharing my bucket.
Damn it. The thing is, Will Smith will still bring out $$$ but if it is anything like I, Robot...It's going to stink. BAD.

[Signal30]

I can see the coda now:

A bluff looking off to the New York skyline, lifeless silhouettes against the setting sun. A fully-loaded Hummer flying a huge but battered American flag pulls up, parks. Neville and young Ethan get out, climb the bluff to view the sun finally settle behind the horizon, the skyscrapers barely visible against the darkened sky. Neville purposefully drapes a cocked crossbow over his shoulder. Fog begins to roll in. Cut to close up of Neville as he voices over:

“By myself…I am legend.”

His hand drops to the boy’s shoulder, who looks up to him admiringly and intelligently.

“But together…We are Legion.”

And across the faces of the distant, nearly invisible buildings, individual lights begin to flicker to life.

Cue music, fade to black.

[j over]

It appears that Johnny Depp is NOT (http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_d4j_ezine&task=read&page=1&category=featured&article=397&Itemid=27) going to be a part of "I Am Legend" as any story of him being signed up for it was all 100% rumor. On the more "official" side of things, Salli Richardson and Alice Braga have been cast as Ginny and Anna but it's not widely known what these characters are about or come from. Apparently this will be another lose adaptation and will be closer to "The Omega Man" then the actual 1954 novel. I don't understand why a closer adaptation will never be tried.

[Signal30]

Apparently this will be another lose adaptation and will be closer to "The Omega Man" then the actual 1954 novel. I don't understand why a closer adaptation will never be tried.Much as I've been harping on the folks trying to adapt the novella, I can understand their (presumed) frustration: the story is about the last man on earth, afterall. Not alot of potential for anything other than voiceovers and dialogue within flashbacks.

Lots of scenes of Neville's day-to-day as he stakes the ghouls, cleans up the messes and the whatnot. Not exactly a Will Smith vehicle in the making, there.

Hell, Neville doesn't even meet anyone else (living) until near the end of the narrative (well, aside from the undead howling for his blood).

However, they could restructure the timeline and present it in a linear fashion: Act One: Plague, Act Two: Aftermath, Act Three: Reqiuim.

Of course, I'm not being paid to do these things, so what do I know?

As far as Johnny Depp's casting...that one didn't feel right from the start.

[DMNY]

It appears that Johnny Depp is NOT (http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_d4j_ezine&task=read&page=1&category=featured&article=397&Itemid=27) going to be a part of "I Am Legend" as any story of him being signed up for it was all 100% rumor. On the more "official" side of things, Salli Richardson and Alice Braga have been cast as Ginny and Anna but it's not widely known what these characters are about or come from. Apparently this will be another lose adaptation and will be closer to "The Omega Man" then the actual 1954 novel. I don't understand why a closer adaptation will never be tried.
Yeah, found that out over the week-end...Thank God!

[j over]

You can check out the first photos of Will Smith in wardrobe as Neville here (http://www.blackfilm.com/20060922/features/iamlegend.shtml) and take a look at a clip of a car stunt being performed here (http://www.amplitude.demon.nl/IamLegend/).

[DMNY]

Yup, I've seen that on www.darkhorizons.com

[j over]

Also, you can check out up close shots of some of the "Warning" and "Biohazard" signs and posters that will be seen in the background throughout the film here (http://www.aintitcool.com/?q=node/30267), presumably. Hope really is deteriorating more and more for this to be of real quality.

[mad_r0]

This makes me so sad :( and i happen to like Will Smith.

[j over]

Apparently, Neville has a daughter and a wife (http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/737/737180p1.html) as well. They might as well make this an "original work" at this point.

[DMNY]

Apparently, Neville has a daughter and a wife (http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/737/737180p1.html) as well. They might as well make this an "original work" at this point.
Why? WHY?
Okay, that's it....Rental and that's it. :mad:

[j over]

Why? WHY?

Both very good questions. Also, here's more photos (http://filmmagic.com/ItemListing.aspx?cgl=215110&evntI=0) from on location and a first peak at a"vampire" or two, apparently. Bald and pale...how unique.

[Signal30]

I'm assuming that the wife and daughter roles are set in flashbacks of the onset of the plague.

Although I can't find a rational for the photo of Neville packing an M-16 to fight off vampires...

[j over]

I'm assuming that the wife and daughter roles are set in flashbacks of the onset of the plague.

But, correct me if I'm off base since I haven't read the novel, but there aren't even any flashbacks of Neville's pre-apocolypse life, correct?

[Signal30]

Yep, there are a few flashbacks set during the course of the plague; of Neville's wife and daughter dying of the plague, the wife's return from the grave to confront him, and a brief vignette involving a desperate tent revival (there's an undercurrent of satire to the novella I'm willing to bet the adapter will miss, or discard). Also touched on is Neville's pre-plague connection to the main vampire figure, Ben Cortman.

[mad_r0]

There's also, which Signal forgot to mention, the passer by Neville talks to ( a little bit of exposition) on his way to 'the great fire'.

[j over]

You can check out more location photos featuring various posters and ads about the "biological threat" here (http://outcastcinema.blogspot.com/).

[j over]

You can now check out a couple of (although yet to be confirmed "official") teaser posters for "I Am Legend" here (http://www.moviesonline.ca/movie_posters.php?id=9559). Anyone else think the title font is awfully similar to that of 2004's "I, Robot"? It makes me lean towards these being fan-made then the real deal...but you never know in this business.

[Signal30]

Wow...I hope those are fanboy works...I'd hate to see a professional get paid for that kind of lazy Photoshop work.

[dpaterso]

I didn't think it looked too bad... moody and desolate.

Not sure about the variant with the car behind him, makes me think haunted car flick.

Liked the blurb, "By day, he is the hunter..."

-Derek

[j over]

It's been confirmed (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/comments/?entryid=383298) that both posters are indeed only fan-made.

[Signal30]

Yeah, it's pretty obvious. Smith's name is too small and you can't tell it's him down in the tiny bottom. No studio is gonna pay an actor that amount of money and then whisper that he's in the movie.

[j over]

In an interview with Premiere Magazine (http://www.premiere.com/feature/3278/will-smith-extra.html), Will Smith is asked briefly about "I Am Legend" besides his other in-the-making project, "Tonight, He Comes". It seems he's a fan of research...like, really a fan of research.

[j over]

JoBlo.com (http://www.joblo.com/interview-will-smith) asked Will Smith how "I Am Legend" is progressing in their interview with him for "The Pursuit of Happyness". Here's what he had to share...


"Yes, I’m working on I AM LEGEND right now. We’re kind of breaking form a little bit. I’m interested to see how people react to it. We’ve designed something completely aggressive and new and different and we’re sneaking a small art film character drama into the middle of a big summer blockbuster, so we’ll see how it works out."

[Signal30]

"...we’re sneaking a small art film character drama into the middle of a big summer blockbuster, so we’ll see how it works out." I'm assuming that's the five minutes he spends walking around an empty New York City...right before the mohawked vampire-mutants arrive in a dune buggy.

[j over]

It's been revealed in the latest issue of Premiere Magazine that the film includes a scene of Neville hunting a deer through Times Square...interesting.

[j over]

Click here (http://joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=6314) to check out some new on-set photos and a clip from the production, courtesy of Arrow in the Head.

[j over]

Click here (http://www.dreadcentral.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1240) for another batch of on set/location photos courtesy this time of Dread Central.

[haunted]

They sure are putting out a lot of pics. Soon we'll have enough to reconstruct the whole movie.

[j over]

They sure are putting out a lot of pics. Soon we'll have enough to reconstruct the whole movie.


If the film turns out to be what many fear it will be, one could even re-arrange all the snapshots and make their own cut of the film.

[Signal30]

Y'know, every time this thread gets bumped I cringe...but I'm still compelled to look.

[j over]

Take a look (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070424/film_nm/newyork_legend_dc) at why one of the scenes in "I Am Legend" turned out to be one of the most expensive sequences in film history.

[Signal30]

I read the Akiva draft...this is going to be a disaster. Doesn't matter how much money they throw at it. Even if you take the source material out of the equation, the script is still a mess.

[j over]

I read the Akiva draft...this is going to be a disaster. Doesn't matter how much money they throw at it. Even if you take the source material out of the equation, the script is still a mess.


I've read the first thirty or so pages of the script...what didn't you like about it, Signal (without getting spoilery for others, of course)?

[Signal30]

Well, the script starts off like biting on tinfoil…it’s three pages of an extended commercial on the sheer exuberance of driving a 2008 Ford Mustang (although to be charitable, it also seems to be a nod towards the opening of The Omega Man).

Then it’s thirty pages of Neville and his dog puttering about the empty city before we get around to some (brief) mutant action. And, well…

...generally the rest of the script plays like Goldsman has a pretty high level of disdain for the material, or that he’s solidly aiming for the thirteen-year-olds in the audience. He blithely disregards maintaining any sort of adherence to his own internal logic, and pretty much defangs any sense of dread as to Neville’s plight…the piece is more focused on the loneliness of the last man on Earth rather than any threat that exists at night.

In the script, it comes across that despite three years of being the only human left in New York, the millions of mutants that prowl the night have never been able to pinpoint his brownstone refuge. Or even seem to be looking for him. Actually, aside for about three set pieces, there’s really no mutant action at all, just Neville talking to himself, his dog, or…

Also, two pages of the script is just Goldsman retyping the dialogue from Shrek. And it must be nice to get paid to write a script and not having to bother using spellcheck.

And the end…egads. Take the most grating ending you can imagine, slam your head against the wall and rethink that ending, and you might come close to imagining how Goldsman ties it all up.

Although to be fair, it seems that the only source material he used was the Protosevich draft, but as it is it’s hard to imagine why the film is still called I Am Legend…any subtext attached to that title has been removed to the point that it’d be like maintaining the title of The Scarlet Letter after doing an adaptation that removes any mention of adultery.

But then, most of the things that aggravated me about the script were the same kind of things that have people rolling their eyes at me and saying, "Sheesh…it’s just a movie."

This script was written for those people.

[j over]

Maybe some day there will be a faithful and at least decent adaptation of the book...I kind of doubt it at this point, though.

[-XL-]

-- POSSIBLE SPOILERS --




Just finished reading the Goldsman draft and have to agree with 90% of Signal's comments. The first half had me very pleasantly in Popcorn movie "try not to compare too much to the source text" territory and then it fell to bits.

The cool aspects of the novel are touched on and then dismissed in favour of a more "keep the suits happy" approach. I actually enjoyed the portrayal of the loneliness of the last man on earth as he tries in vain to change the world back but from midway that aspect faded fast. As Signal said the subtext from the title is barely significant now and the idea of man's extinction and the time of the "darkseekers" as the next stage of the world is all but massacred in favour of an "audience pleasing" ending. Almost as bad as the ending is a section of dialogue that, in a very cringeworthy fashion, spells out the reverse viewpoint of man now being the monster in the darkseekers' world.

All in all, it felt like it was written by someone forced to keep a bunch of suits happy and it's suffered for it. Saying that I have little doubt it'll be a box office hit.

[dpaterso]

Can't honestly say I liked the novel, or the Neville from the novel. I think the Heston film at least gave us a take that was easier to understand and more visually entertaining.

Edit: damned if I can find that script. Any clues? (Thanks, got it. :eek:)

-Derek

[wcmartell]

Strange that this whole thing began as a faithful adaptation of the novel, and now it looks like the closest film version is going to be the old Vincent Price movie you can pick up for $1.

- Bill

[dpaterso]

Wow, I'd forgotten about The Last Man on Earth (1964) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058700/) - "By night they leave their graves, crawling, shambling, through empty streets, whimpering, pleading, begging for his blood!"

-Derek

[IanFraser]

My teeth gritted, and I winced the instant I heard Will Smith was associated with the film version of Matheson's amazing story (which was inspirational to me and countless others, from way back).
Its the rapidly morphing and tearing out of the core heart of Matheson's novel, that makes me lose what little respect I have for Hollywood. Adding a 'cute kid' character, and trying to tap into street culture by having vampires with hoodies (like the awful afro's of the Omega Man tried to hook into Panther-chic of the 70's) just goes to show that Hollywood at its heart, has little respect for writers.
Out of respect for Matheson's original vision, I look forward to seeing this one rapidly appear online in pirated form in torrents.

[Signal30]

Actually, I didn't have too much of a problem with adding a kid to the mix, although traditionally you're supposed to wait until the sequel to pull that stunt. My issue was how they introduced the character and his escort, with a plot device so anathema to the internal logic of the world that Will Smith's character would have been perfectly justified in stepping back, looking up and saying, "Ah Hell no, tell me you didn't just do that!"

I can see where producer/writer Goldman might have some problems selling the subtext of the source material in this day and age; Matheson basically was saying that there is no help from God and that evolution rules.

Whoops...might alienate half your multiplex crowd right there. Which also brings about casting issues: on the page, Anna is implied to be British...but as the film gets cast, she ends up being played by a Brazilian. Can't have Smith macking on a white chick, you might offend the crackers. Cripes, under the premise, can't the filmmakers take the opportunity to cross that last color line?

Nope.

But oddly enough, there is other subtext action going on...the weirdest one was having the introduction to the mutants as being that they're taking refuge in the United Nations building. Um. It's not inadvertent, because Goldsman throws in a aside about the traditional ineffectiveness of the UN.

[IanFraser]

For those who'd like to see the still creepy original adaption of I Am Legend ('Last Man on Earth')
- as its in public domain, it can be downloaded in .avi format as a legal torrent.
from HERE (http://publicdomaintorrents.com/bt/btdownload.php?type=torrent&file=The_Last_Man_on_Earth.avi.torrent)
Other format versions can be chosen, HERE (http://www.publicdomaintorrents.com/nshowmovie.html?rstitle=The+Last+Man+on+Earth)

[Signal30]

I just finished reading the John Logan draft from '97.

Great script, would've made a great movie. Also, Goldsman seems to have cannibalized more than a few chunks from it...a few scenes, but minus subtext and minus the impact.

Oh, well...can't fight The Peter Principle.

[Qazworld]

I read the Akiva draft...this is going to be a disaster. Doesn't matter how much money they throw at it. Even if you take the source material out of the equation, the script is still a mess.

wow, i really enjoyed his script.

i never read the source material, but the akiva's version was pretty compelling to me. i totally agree that the ending is botched (pretty ridiculous actually) but the rest of the story, the way he showed neville's isolation was pretty well done, IMO.

i could care less if there's not a lot of action sequences.

i think what he did here was actually pretty damn bold.

if they fix that ending, this could be a great all-around flick.

[j over]

Here's a look (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=20865) at the official teaser poster for "I Am Legend". Nothing special to say the least...and it annoys me to no end that they are apparently marketing this as an action thriller when obviously its source material at least is very much horror/science fiction.

[Signal30]

Wow... this may be the only time in this thread where I have something positive to say, but... I kinda dig that poster. It's in your face, manages to reference the Vinnie Price movie, and ominous (with the setting sun).

Nothing brilliant (the text also recalls the classic Fredric Brown short, short story: The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door...), but definitely better than I expected.

Qaz: You also have to take into account that when I describe something as disastrous, that most likely means box-office gold.

But each successive draft just seems to be an adaptation of the prior adaptation, until all it has in common with Matheson's story is the title and basic premise (althought not the meaning behind the title).

But, my point on this is that Goldsman borrowed more heavily from the Logan draft, but still didn't nail the isolation of the character as well.

Of course, it doesn't help that with each draft, we get more time between the plague and where we pick up with Neville... in Matheson's story, it was five months after the plague wound down. By Goldsman's draft, it's now five years... and the script in no way, shape or form conveyed a man that had gone that long with zero human contact.

I'm not asking for a balls out action movie, because the source material isn't at all about that. But if it's gonna be an action script, Logan's draft pulled it off a heck of a lot better than Goldsman's.

Edited to Note: I should add that as much as I prefer the Logan draft, it's not perfect either. After Neville is forced to abandon Los Angeles, it devolves into over-the-top ludicrousness... sort of a spaghetti western Mad Max take on Predator. Which is a shame, because before that there is a devastating vignette on the end results of his looped radio station tape. If the narrative had ended just after that (after his return home and what he finds), it would have made a swell script.

But either way... still has a better ending than Goldsman's draft.

[j over]

Wow... this may be the only time in this thread where I have something positive to say, but... I kinda dig that poster. It's in your face, manages to reference the Vinnie Price movie, and ominous (with the setting sun).


I personally don't find the poster that ominous at all and the fact that it clearly references a past adaptation is a negative in my opinion.

[Signal30]

Look, pal... I'm so desperate to look on the bright side when it comes to anything coming out anymore, I take it where I can find it.

Don't shatter my delusions.

But yeah... "ominous" really wasn't the right word. "Orange-y"?

[j over]

But yeah... "ominous" really wasn't the right word. "Orangy"?


I could go with orangy.

[Signal30]

Damn, and you're busting me on my typos.

[j over]

The official site is now (http://iamlegend.warnerbros.com/) fully active.

[wcmartell]

I'm guessing that past adaptation - the Price version - will be superior to this one. What I don't understand is why remake something *worse* than an earlier version (and this refers to that cheese-fest OMEGA MAN... plus many of the recent remakes I've been subjected to)? If you can't do it better than the last guy...

- Bill

[Signal30]

If nothing else, a plus in this whole thing is that The Last Man on Earth is getting some serious re-evaluation... and generally getting higher kudos that it had been getting, if any at all.

I haven't watched it since I was a kid, but I remember it being creepy enough (aside for Vinnie... fresh off of his later AIP comedy horrors, it was sorta hard for me to watch him playing it completely straight).

And that mustache didn't help... even as a kid, I thought he was too well-groomed for the scenario. I had problems with Tarzan at that point, also.

But recently I scored a copy of the MGM Midnite Movies release (a double feature with Panic in the Year Zero!), which is about the best version to watch it. I have to kick back with some Vinnie quality time soon.

Oddly enough, I also managed to track down a copy of Richard Matheson's mid-50s draft for what was going to be a Hammer Films version. Eventually Hammer dropped the plans (too gruesome) and went with Horror of Dracula as their big vampire flick.

The rights to the script went to the dude who shot it in Italy, and he called in a buddy to rewrite it, IIRC.

I haven't read the script all the way through yet, but Matheson set it in... Canada.

"Come out, Neville... eh?"

[j over]

The official (and apparently final) one sheet here (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=38247). They really didn't try to think outside the box or do something unique for this one, it seems.

[Signal30]

I'll have to agree.

If you judge a movie by its poster, the basic Photoshop here (by someone who apparently knows nothing more about the piece than it's Will Smith and his dog having the Big Apple to themselves) implies a by the numbers effort from all involved.

"That's a wrap, gimme my check."

I liked the teaser poster better.

[Signal30]

All fixed (http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6707/iammaxva5.gif) now...

[Terrance Mulloy]

All fixed (http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6707/iammaxva5.gif) now...

Heh ;)

[j over]

And now the expected (http://iamlegendsurvival.warnerbros.com/) game tie-in as well as a look at Vertigo Comics' prequel (http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/iamlegendawakening/) "I Am Legend: Awakening".

[Signal30]

Well, the former laughs at my video card and the latter... well, it's Quicktime. Half the time Quicktime just laughs at me.

[j over]

Well, the former laughs at my video card and the latter... well, it's Quicktime. Half the time Quicktime just laughs at me.


Try this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRV3gwfzSJw&mode=user&search=) then.

[Kevan]

I actually thought this really well done..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRV3gwfzSJw&mode=user&search=

Excellent framing, camera movement and graphics.. Looks more like a moving storyboard but I like it..

The horror.... The horror....

[j over]

I actually like it, too which is weird considering how much I'm anticipating to dislike the actual film.

[j over]

Take a look at the second chapter from the comic book tie-in here (http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=3247) as well as an interview with Will Smith here (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-ca-smith4nov04,1,783335.story).

[kintnerboy]

There is a new trailer up @ Apple:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/iamlegend/



The post apocalyptic NYC looks really well rendered, however the awful creature CGI makes me want to call this I, Vampire.

[j over]

To no one's surprise, there is now an online community (http://www.i-am-immune.com/codeEntry.php) bursting with sweepstakes and "exclusive content".


Also, apparently the ending is now more positive than ever (http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=12571).

[j over]

Check out a behind-the-scenes featurette here (http://www.etonline.com/news/2007/11/55976/index.html) and another chapter from the comic book here (http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/iamlegendisolation/).

[whistlelock]

Book spoiler in the qoutes:

So, having the last human in the world commit suicide before he can be executed by the new vampire/human race is too bad of an ending?

Can't be any worse than the Omega Man ending, really.

oh, wait. It can.

[Signal30]

Also, apparently the ending is now more positive than ever (http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=12571).How in the hell could they make the ending more positive than what was in the shooting script?



After besting the lead mutant in a fistfight (as the other mutants obligingly just stand around) the next day Neville and his new family load up a truck to rendezvous with another human outpost.

And the dog is cured. Actually, everyone is cured because just in time, friggin' Neville finally figured out the secret recipe.

CUE: Sunshine and rainbows.



I mean, Jeebus... how are they going to top that for an upbeat ending? Hand everyone a puppy as they leave the theater?

[velysai]

I hated the ending in the shooting script. Hated it. And it made me mad that the middle of the script made me cry and the ending sucked.