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WILL SMITH AND WARNER BROTHERS SCARE UP I AM LEGEND SEQUEL

September 10 2008

Hollywood, CA – Warner Brothers has announced plans for a sequel to their international smash hit ‘I Am Legend’. Plans are for the movie to be released sometime in 2011; star Will Smith will be returning as lead hero Doctor Robert Neville. No story details were available at this time.

“We are obviously thrilled to be returning to a film that audiences obviously loved so much,” said a spokesperson for the studio. “Audiences all over the world showed their passion for the first film and we want to reward that passion as best as we can.”

While a sequel to the film would seem unlikely given the nature of the ending to the original in which the lead character dies, even more unlikely with the return of that character in the sequel the studio remains undaunted.

“There will be creative challenges, no doubt, but nothing that we cannot overcome. There have been many sequels to films in which lead characters have died and those have gone on to great success,” continued the spokesperson. “Because something is difficult does not mean we do not do it. That is the lesson of the Legend story. Dr. Neville survives at great odds and continues fighting against seemingly impossible odds. That is what we will do too, well maybe not as dramatic as that. We will find a way around any obstacles to crafting a sequel. ”  

Screenwriter Mark Protosevich will draft the follow-up; Will Smith will act as an associate producer.

‘I Am Legend’ was released in December of 2007 and has gone on to rake in nearly 600 million dollars in worldwide box office. It is the third film based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name. Matheson gave his permission for a follow up last year.

Rumours had been floating that the company planned a prequel to the hit, with original director Francis Lawrence seeming to confirm as much in July. The decision to switch gears from prequel to sequel was apparently made after several failed attempts at crafting a convincing storyline.

“We told the base story of how the events of the first movie came to be in the original and that put us in a tough spot in respect to creating a viable storyline that also allowed for a significant amount of action,” said screenwriter Protosevich. “We figured in the end it made a lot more sense to just bring will’s character back and go from there. It afforded us a lot more opportunities to come up with cool set pieces that audiences would enjoy. It made a lot more sense to go this way. And yes, the bacon issue will be resolved."

Samantha Dryden, Entertainment Correspondent

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