I Am Legend!

[AmLap]

I've got a lot of grief to spread!

"I AM LEGEND" Richard Matheson's novel about pseudo hero Richard Neville who defends himself in a barricaded home after the world has become vamps! I love this story and the imagery. It's very easy to get lost in Matheson's apocalyptic world, and to side with the burly hero Neville. but as some may know Warner Bros. is releasing a film interpretation of the book. and to play Neville they got no other than... and this is where i get pissed and annoyed... Will Smith!

i don't have much against will smith (except that he is a pretty awful actor). i just don't understand him playing the role of Neville. as described in the book Neville is a tall husky irish like man with wild red hair...? ok i understand diversity and such, but will smith? not for nothing but he doesn't fit any damn one of those traits. and also Neville is a quiet alcoholic dealing with loss and solitude. i don't know if the fresh prince can handle that extreme of a challenge. but hey maybe he'll make a song for the soundtrack!

Lawrence Fishbourne(SP?) or Christian Bale are a few better choices off the top of my head.

GO HOLLYWOOD!!!

does anyone else feel bothered by this?


Amlap

p.s. sorry so long but it's my first post/thread so why not go in with a bang. promise that future posts will be kept short and sweet. and if this topic was already posted than sorry again.... but like a said im new, so be gentle:D

[Atom_basher]

I'm not bothered because will smith has shown he can do intense, and he has one quality bale and Fishburne don't have, he can get people to watch a movie

[StoneGold]

Smith's been bad in some bad movies, but he's also been pretty damn good in some good ones. Honestly, the ethnicity of Neville doesn't mean a damn to the story, a good chunk of which is basically a Romero film with vamps instead of zombies. But considering Smith's been mentioned for this role for what now, a decade? And you're just getting PO'd at it now?

[SnowTrooper]

Im not familiar with the story at all, besides reading that "The Omega Man" was inspired by it, but Will Smith seems like a decent choice to play the lead. Unless they say there going to turn it into a cheesey action flick where Smith says a goofy one-liner every 10 minutes I dont think we should be complaining just yet.

But if they really wanted to cast an african-american as the lead then why didnt they go for Denzel Washington. Denzel is the man.

[rick]

I'm not bothered.

Vincent Price certainly didn't fit the books description, and neither did Heston.

What matters is if the actor can pull off the sense of total despair and loneliness that the part requires, and I have no doubt that Will Smith can pull it off just fine.

[StoneGold]

Vincent Price certainly didn't fit the books description, and neither did Heston.


Neither did the mutant zombies, or the entire movie after Heston escapes his survivalist bachelor pad.

[rick]

Neither did the mutant zombies, or the entire movie after Heston escapes his survivalist bachelor pad.


Hestons version certainly wasn't in the least bit accurate, but it's still just a great film and certainly one of my favorites from the era.

The Price version was surprisingly close though.

[blackdragon6]

i preferred the price version...

[AmLap]

Im not familiar with the story at all, besides reading that "The Omega Man" was inspired by it, but Will Smith seems like a decent choice to play the lead. Unless they say there going to turn it into a cheesey action flick where Smith says a goofy one-liner every 10 minutes I dont think we should be complaining just yet.

But if they really wanted to cast an african-american as the lead then why didnt they go for Denzel Washington. Denzel is the man.


that is my reason for being very disgruntle about this role. im not a will smith fan. hes the cute face actor who pretty much gets parts to sell movies. maybe ill watch I robot... but its a guilty pleasure of mine(i know the movie isnt really anything but big budget and special effects). my point really being is that all these big time production companies tend to go too far. they like to drift away from the story to add action cuts like exploding cars. im a fan boy and for this story i want a fan boy movie. and i dont think smith can offer what i want. ill give the man credit in Ali but what else has he really done? but maybe hell surprise me, ive been convinced before. Look what Lawrence did with Constantine and keanu reeves(SP?)

as far as the previous adaptations id go with Omega Man. although im a huge vincent price fan, Heston was beyond amazing.

"hi big brother hows your ass?".... GOLD!

and denzel! he is denzel in every movie! the man needs another character.
(exception training day)

[Erebus]

I didn't think Smith could pull off Ali, or the Pursuit of Happyness. But he performed wonderfully. I'm confident that he'll be able to make this work.

[SnowTrooper]

Isnt Johnny Depp supposed to have a role in this movie as well? What character is he rumored to be playing?

[The Punished]

Zombie #3--park scene?

[brundlefly]

I'm bothered every time Smith gets cast in a film that I would otherwise be interested in and then proceeds to hijack its premise or theme and turn it into Just Another Will Smith Vehicle (see I, Robot as the most recent example). I really dig Matheson's novel and liked The Last Man on Earth and the Omega Man, but once Smith's name got attached to this project I just tuned it out. I have no interest in yet another CGI-and-explosion-laden "cheesey action flick where Smith says a goofy one-liner every 10 minutes," as SnowTrooper put it.

[Slam_Bradley]

I'm bothered every time Smith gets cast in a film that I would otherwise be interested in and then proceeds to hijack its premise or theme and turn it into Just Another Will Smith Vehicle (see I, Robot as the most recent example). I really dig Matheson's novel and liked The Last Man on Earth and the Omega Man, but once Smith's name got attached to this project I just tuned it out. I have no interest in yet another CGI-and-explosion-laden "cheesey action flick where Smith says a goofy one-liner every 10 minutes," as SnowTrooper put it.


I have to question whether this is really Will Smith's fault. I have to think that the writers, directors, producers have a ton to do with this problem...Smith just happens to be starring in the film.

[Cyke]

I don't have a problem with this, but if he makes a music video for the movie, then I'll be *royally* pissed.

[HomerJay]

From all that I've heard, much like OMEGA MAN, this movie will have little in common with Matheson's brilliant story other than the title and the basic premise.
I always thought Mel Gibson would've been a good choice for Neville.

[brundlefly]

I have to question whether this is really Will Smith's fault. I have to think that the writers, directors, producers have a ton to do with this problem...Smith just happens to be starring in the film.

Oh, I agree with you that producers/directors no doubt heavily alter a film's initlal premise/theme to make it more Will Smith-friendly once he's attached, in order to take advantage of his popularity and give his fanbase what it wants (yet another cheesy CGI & explosion-filled action/comedy with an accompanying music video). But I seriously doubt that he stands by helplessly as a film's direction is drastically changed to capitalize on his involvement in it, as opposed to gleefully egging that process on. I just wish he'd stick to dreck like installments of the 'Bad Boys' franchise whenever he gets his "genre action hero" itch instead of meddling with films that I might otherwise enjoy and that get changed to suit his "style" once he comes onboard. I still shudder at how close he came to wrecking the Matrix when he was almost cast as Neo. :eek:

[Royal]

Two Words.

Akiva

Goldsman.

You may commence with the signature Will Smith Exclamation.

[IamtheRock3]

Oh, I agree with you that producers/directors no doubt heavily alter a film's initlal premise/theme to make it more Will Smith-friendly once he's attached, in order to take advantage of his popularity and give his fanbase what it wants (yet another cheesy CGI & explosion-filled action/comedy with an accompanying music video). But I seriously doubt that he stands by helplessly as a film's direction is drastically changed to capitalize on his involvement in it, as opposed to gleefully egging that process on. I just wish he'd stick to dreck like installments of the 'Bad Boys' franchise whenever he gets his "genre action hero" itch instead of meddling with films that I might otherwise enjoy and that get changed to suit his "style" once he comes onboard. I still shudder at how close he came to wrecking the Matrix when he was almost cast as Neo. :eek:

Yea cause the GUY FROM POINT BREAK and Bill and Ted was such a high brow choice.

ounce you decide to seek a will smith...you pretty much decide the style your going at it. I mean he wasnt courting this film. They probally asked him and gave him tons of money to do it.

He a popcorn type action hero aint nothing wrong with that. They knew it going in they going for a big budget action flick

but he can act though if they want him too

Like in ALI
and his last movie
as well as six degrees of seperation

[KenK]

I just wish he'd stick to dreck like installments of the 'Bad Boys' franchise whenever he gets his "genre action hero" itch instead of meddling with films that I might otherwise enjoy and that get changed to suit his "style" once he comes onboard.

But then you'll just complain about him doing "dreck" like Bad Boys, so basically it's a no-win situation. It seems painfully clear that no matter how many dramatic roles he does, and receives a considerable amount of acclaim for them, some people are just going to have a narrow-minded view of him as an actor. They're not going to acknowledge the roles he's done and will continue to do that don't fall into their generalization of him, and someone's gonna make a dumb comment about him doing a song on the soundtrack for whatever movie he's in, when he's only done that with three of the dozen or so films he's done in his career.

I still shudder at how close he came to wrecking the Matrix when he was almost cast as Neo.

Because Keanu Reeves' star power was just so undeniable!:rolleyes: The Matrix eventually wrecked itself with the sequels anyway, so what's your point? Not to mention of the two actors, Smith has had far more success commercially, but also critically than Reeves, when he's done films outside of the sci-fi/action genre.

[Super Samurai]

Trailer is up.

http://smartenupnas.com/2007/06/08/will-smith-i-am-legend-movie-trailer/

Looks alright to me I might check it out.

[DWEarhart]

Isnt Johnny Depp supposed to have a role in this movie as well? What character is he rumored to be playing?

It was thrown around, but if I recall, there was a scheduling conflict.

[rick]

I saw the trailer and personally I am really looking forward to the film.

Smith is a top notch actor and I think he is just an ideal choice to play Neville.

Plus I have always thought that New York would make for a much creepier location for the story then LA did, or Rome for that matter.

So this one is definitly on my Must See list.

[Super Samurai]

Finally, a semi-zombie movie set in NY. Never thought it would happen.

[Tobias March]

To be honest it looks like a remake of Omega Man.....so why didn't they call it that? With the scale upped of course, but still.

Also wasn't the bigbad from Heston's pic also in the Matrix sequels? After all that talk above of Will Smith 'almost', ruining those films.

[DWEarhart]

I like the dog.

[ultramandingo]

..... forget whining about the fresh prince , whatda bout the director , francis lawrence . the guy that brought us constantine and some britney spears and j-lo videos . hack-a-rific!!! ill stick with chuck heston wasting albino hippies , thanks yous

[Tobias March]

..... forget whining about the fresh prince , whatda bout the director , francis lawrence . the guy that brought us constantine and some britney spears and j-lo videos . hack-a-rific!!! ill stick with chuck heston wasting albino hippies , thanks yous

Oh crap, is it that guy? I thought it was the full team from I, Robot. Man Constantine really was a poor show.

[Armless Penguin]

To be honest it looks like a remake of Omega Man.....so why didn't they call it that? With the scale upped of course, but still.


Because it's not? I don't get what you're asking. It's an adaption of the book on which The Omega Man was based, but other than that there's no connection. And considering the glaring differences between Heston's film and the book, I don't see why they would call this film the same thing, when it's (hopefully) supposed to be closer to the book. And even if it's not, it'll surely be different than The Omega Man.

[MakeshiftHero]

So for those of us who don't know what I Am Legend is about (myself included) could someone tell us the plot of the story? Cause from the trailer all I'm getting is that there was some kind of nuclear WW3 and that there's only one man alive and at the end it sounds like some kind of alien bug creature is behind him.

[rick]

So for those of us who don't know what I Am Legend is about (myself included) could someone tell us the plot of the story?

Sure.

The last man on Earth isn't alone.

That about sums it up.

[MakeshiftHero]

Sure.

The last man on Earth isn't alone.

That about sums it up.

well I could tell that by the preview. But ya got anything else for me than what I already know?

[Tobias March]

So for those of us who don't know what I Am Legend is about (myself included) could someone tell us the plot of the story? Cause from the trailer all I'm getting is that there was some kind of nuclear WW3 and that there's only one man alive and at the end it sounds like some kind of alien bug creature is behind him.

I Am Legend is a novel by Richard Matheson. It focuses on the 'last man alive', after a pandemic virus carried on the wind wiped out the rest of the world's population. Some have returned from the dead as vampires and surround his house during the night trying to draw him out. During the daylight hours he hunts down their nests.

Tis very good :D

[The Xenos]

Well, considering it's looking like Will Smith vehicle (which isn't nessisarily his fault as muchs the higher ups) and that Akiva Goldsman is in the writing credits, I'm not getting my hopes up.

Though I guess it could be worse. I guess Goldsman could be doing another superhero movie, one starring Will Smith. Oh.. wait.. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448157/)

Anyway, as for I am Legend the movie vs the book, if they keep insisting on changing stuff so much, why not use another title, like they did with the original adapatations. Why not call this The Last Man on Earth like the original Price one? Then again, the biggest change seems to be moving it to New York City.

Then again, the poster features "The Last Man on Earth" in larger text than the small iamlegend.com in the corner of the poster, so it might as well be the damn title.

[DDM]

well I could tell that by the preview. But ya got anything else for me than what I already know?

The lead character (Smith) is also immune to the biotoxin or virus that wiped out the rest of humanity. He himself is trying to find a cure in his blood while trying to survive from the "vampires." The creatures are not true vampires though; however, they cannot stand the sunlight & crave human blood or flesh. The title comes from the fact he is indeed the last living man on Earth, hence, he's legend. I just hope it stays true the book in most respects. The degenerated beings infected with the disease are not & should not be portrayed as vampires.

I like how the creatures are portrayed in The Omega Man; their skin & hair turns chalk white. I love the fact the leader of the "vampires" is a former nationally known reporter in his former life (shown in flashbacks to show the spreading of the mysterious plague).

[GremlinClr]

I don't know. I've got bad feelings with this. The book was so great and I'd hate for them to bork up this one like they (Akiva Goldsman and Will Smith) did I, Robot.

[Tobias March]

I don't know. I've got bad feelings with this. The book was so great and I'd hate for them to bork up this one like they (Akiva Goldsman and Will Smith) did I, Robot.

I only watched Last Man on Earth the other night. I was surprised it was so faithful to the book.

I'm still wondering why this isn't officially a remake of the Heston pic. Even the chalked up zombie pics we've seen online seem more akin to Omega then Matheson's book.

[berk]

...

The title comes from the fact he is indeed the last living man on Earth, hence, he's legend.

...Actually it's quite a bit more subtle than that in Matheson's book, but it can't really be explained without giving too much away. You'll just have to read it yourself!

[DDM]

I only watched Last Man on Earth the other night. I was surprised it was so faithful to the book.

I'm still wondering why this isn't officially a remake of the Heston pic. Even the chalked up zombie pics we've seen online seem more akin to Omega then Matheson's book.

The creatures are not necessarily zombies either. They remain sentient, although they are now nocturnal beings since the disease made them sensitive to sunlight; they also have a need for raw human flesh & blood. They are bitter about their new existence that can only come out at night. Society is ruined. And they torment him. I think they are also as interested in a cure too, but their minds are demented by the disease infecting their brains.

[rick]

The creatures are not necessarily zombies either. They remain sentient, although they are now nocturnal beings since the disease made them sensitive to sunlight; they also have a need for raw human flesh & blood. They are bitter about their new existence that can only come out at night. Society is ruined. And they torment him. I think they are also as interested in a cure too, but their minds are demented by the disease infecting their brains.


Actually in the Heston flick the "mutants" are not in the least bit interested in a cure, and also aren't drinking blood or eating human flesh.

What they are instead is basicly a big cult that has completly rejected the use of technology.

Early in the film one of the mutants asks their leader why they don't just go and get some explosives and just blow-up Hestons and his house and is told that to do so would start the whole cycle of destruction all over again and that they (the mutants) are blessed for rejecting tech while Heston is a pitiful and dammed creature for embracing it.

They are still however quite psychotic and definitly brain damaged.

[rick]

Here's an age related question.

I saw the Omega Man in it's orignal run back in the very early 1970's.

Anyone else here see it in the theatres?

Better yet, anyone here old enough to have seen Last Man on Earth in it's initial run?

[berk]

Here's an age related question.

I saw the Omega Man in it's orignal run back in the very early 1970's.

Anyone else here see it in the theatres?

Better yet, anyone here old enough to have seen Last Man on Earth in it's initial run?Omega Man was one of the first 'adult' movies I saw as a kid - I mean in the sense of not being a Disney or other kids movie, can't recall what the actual rating was. Another Heston flick, Beneath the Planet of the Apes was another one that comes to mind, don't remember which was earlier. I remember the downbeat endings of both movies made a huge impression on me (not sure the spoiler tags were really necessary there, but better safe etc). Still haven't seen Last Man on Earth, even on tv.

[Tobias March]

. I remember the downbeat endings of both movies made a huge impression on me .

That raises a nervous suspicion as regards this version....will Goldsman give us the ending we know, or are we off on another track?

[rick]

That raises a nervous suspicion as regards this version....will Goldsman give us the ending we know, or are we off on another track?

One thing I did notice in the trailer is that Smith's character does seem to be trying to get his wife and child out of New York.

Which if this is a typical modern Hollywood adaptation could mean that they are both out there somewhere still alive.

That would of course suck balls and really ruin the film.

Personally I hope not, but then again, I did see I Robot.

[blackdragon6]

theres a trailer out for it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX773fMkS90


ok now its not much of a trailer but it still looks interesting.and judging from the tone of the film i doubt will smith will be shooting out one liners every few minutes.i will say this though i wonder what denzel would have did or the role if he had gotten it instead of will? so who here still wants to see it in spite of it staring will smith?

[saintsaucey]

saw this during the transformer opening trailers. thought it was a trailer for y the last man at first. not to interested in seeing it

[Cayman]

The empty city is still effectively creepy, but the trailer's not all that promising. Might've been nice to see one of the vampires.

[Nikita]

I'm bothered every time Smith gets cast in a film that I would otherwise be interested in and then proceeds to hijack its premise or theme and turn it into Just Another Will Smith Vehicle (see I, Robot as the most recent example). I really dig Matheson's novel and liked The Last Man on Earth and the Omega Man, but once Smith's name got attached to this project I just tuned it out. I have no interest in yet another CGI-and-explosion-laden "cheesey action flick where Smith says a goofy one-liner every 10 minutes," as SnowTrooper put it.


Ditto. I really don't want to see him in this movie. I actually have enjoyed some of his movies, but please, not this one. As good as he can be, he can also completely ruin movies.

[Radical]

Honestly, the ethnicity of Neville doesn't mean a damn to the story, a good chunk of which is basically a Romero film with vamps instead of zombies.

Y'know what's ironic about that? The Last Man on Earth (which I have on DVD) was one of the inspirations for Night of the Living Dead, so I guess you could say the vampires came first.

[rick]

Y'know what's ironic about that? The Last Man on Earth (which I have on DVD) was one of the inspirations for Night of the Living Dead, so I guess you could say the vampires came first.

Romero himself openly admits to the Mathison story as well as the Price film as inspirations.