WB plans 'I Am Legend' prequel

Will Smith, Francis Lawrence to return for film

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Will Smith's scientist character died in WB's 'I Am Legend''; the next pic will be a prequel, also starring Smith.

Warner Bros. has set in motion a prequel to the Will Smith starrer "I Am Legend."

The plan is for Smith to reprise his role as scientist Robert Neville, with Francis Lawrence returning to direct. Akiva Goldsman and his Weed Road banner will produce with James Lassiter, Smith’s partner in Overbrook Entertainment.

The studio has set D.B. Weiss to write a script that is based on a detailed outline that was hatched over the past few months by Smith, Goldsman, Lassiter and Lawrence.

The prequel will chronicle the final days of humanity in New York before a man-made virus caused a plague that left Smith’s character the lone survivor among a mutated mob in the city.

Making a prequel was the only way to extend a franchise that grossed $584 million worldwide for Warner Bros. and keep Smith in the lead role. His character was killed in the first film, after extracting a potential cure for the virus for the scattered survivors.

Weiss at present is scripting the adaptation of Neil Strauss’ book "The Game" for Spyglass Entertainment. He’s also working on a project for Relativity, "Kashmir."