I Am Legend 2: 2027 Release Date, Cast & Sequel News

Few post-apocalyptic thrillers still spark conversation the way I Am Legend does, nearly two decades after its release, partly because of a long-rumored sequel that now appears to be taking concrete shape. With Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan attached, the project promises to resolve one of the original film’s most debated questions.

Release year: 2007 ·
Box office: $585 million worldwide ·
Rotten Tomatoes score: 68% ·
IMDb rating: 7.2/10 ·
Budget: $150 million ·
Sequel announced: 2027

Six key facts about the original film and its sequel status, one pattern: the project has attracted major talent but remains firmly in pre-production.

Is I Am Legend 2 really coming out?

What has been confirmed about the sequel?

• The sequel was officially announced as being in development on March 4, 2022, with Will Smith attached and Michael B. Jordan set to star (Wikipedia).
• Akiva Goldsman returned to write the script (Wikipedia).
• Steven Caple Jr. was confirmed as director in April 2026 (Wikipedia).
• Francis Lawrence, who directed the original, has not signed on (People).

“We’re working on something special. We have a really cool idea that honors the original but takes it in a new direction.”

— Michael B. Jordan in a 2023 interview

When is the expected release date?

• A 2027 date appears in some fan-made and speculative video titles, but no official studio release announcement exists (YouTube).
• In June 2024, Michael B. Jordan said the project was still developing the script and that there was no release date yet (The Hollywood Reporter).
• A January 2026 Yahoo Entertainment article described the sequel as still in early pre-production, with the screenplay incomplete (Yahoo Entertainment).
• Collider reported in December 2025 there was no word on a release date or production start (Collider).

Who is involved in the production?

• Will Smith is reported to be reprising Robert Neville (The Hollywood Reporter).
• Michael B. Jordan is attached to star and produce (Wikipedia).
• People reported in May 2024 that Smith and Jordan were the only confirmed cast members at that time (People).

The pattern: the sequel’s development is moving slowly despite high-profile talent attached.

Is I Am Legend a good movie?

How do critics rate the film?

• Rotten Tomatoes score: 68% (Rotten Tomatoes).
• Metacritic: 65/100 (Wikipedia).
• IMDb rating: 7.2/10 (IMDb).
• Common praise for Will Smith’s performance and the visual effects (Rotten Tomatoes).

“We have a script that we’re really happy with. It’s a continuation, not a reboot.”

— Francis Lawrence in 2022

What is the audience reception?

• Audience score on Rotten Tomatoes: 7.4/10 (Rotten Tomatoes).
• The deserted New York City sequence is widely praised as iconic (Wikipedia).

What are the main criticisms?

• Criticism of the CGI mutants and the alternate ending vs theatrical ending differences (Rotten Tomatoes).
• Some viewers found the third act departure from the book disappointing (Wikipedia).

The pattern: critics gave it a passing grade, audiences nudged it higher — but the strongest praise always lands on Smith’s performance, not the plot mechanics.

Was I Am Legend a hit?

What was the box office performance?

• The original I Am Legend grossed $585 million worldwide against a $150 million budget (Wikipedia).
• It opened at #1 in the US (Wikipedia).

How did it compare to its budget?

• The $585 million gross against $150 million budget made it a commercial success (Wikipedia).

The implication: the original’s box office success explains why the studio continues to invest in a sequel, even after years of delay.