If you were a fan of author Richard Matheson’s original novella of the same name, I Am Legend’s theatrical ending is an even bigger slap to the face than the film’s handling of the source material on the whole. A one-stop shop for all things video games. Oddly enough though, none of the three films is really a satisfying adaptation of the text, as each differs greatly from the source material. And so you've basically turned everything on its head. Alternate version with controversial ending! More: I Am Legend 2 Updates: Will A Sequel (Or Prequel) Ever Get Made? The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. For one, while Robert Neville in the book is far from an expert on the plague that's destroyed humanity, the Neville in every film version has been a genius scientist capable of devising a cure. I loved I Am Legend the first time I saw it! However, it’s in the final moments of I Am Legend’s big third act finale, with the Alpha Male (Dash Mihok) and his fellow Hemocytes overrunning Neville’s base of operations, that the film takes its big divergence. Print. Handing Anna a vial of his test subject’s blood, he stashes her and Ethan in a safe space. This isn't the first instance of a test audience making a movie worse, and probably won't be the last. I Am Legend is a 2007 American post-apocalyptic action thriller film loosely based on the 1954 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson.Directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman and Mark Protosevich, the film stars Will Smith as US Army virologist Robert Neville.. If that last film in particular is of interest to you during quarantine, there’s something you should know: the alternate ending wrapped things up way better than the theatrical ending that we got. If you’ve never seen the film before, it’s now available on Prime Video for viewing. If, for some reason, you haven’t seen I Am Legend before reading this rundown, first of all, we warned you. Noting the barbaric nature of the Hemocytes, Anna’s questioning of Robert’s experiments and even “the butterflies” all tie together into a conclusion that steers away from the cheese that the third act pumps its narrative full of, and heads back to the promise the film had shown in its earlier acts. You can certainly find the theatrical ending in tact as well, but it’s a rip from the film’s home video release, and not part of the official MovieClips profile for I Am Legend. The ending to the Alternate Theatrical Version varies from the original ending. Robert Neville seems to be the last human in NYC. Has The Mandalorian Been Hiding A Star Wars Rebels Character In Plain Sight? It’ll make for some interesting conversation in the comments below, and you’ll be able to take part in the poll we’ve shared to gather your valued opinion. Will Smith's 2007 box office hit I Am Legend had an ending that divided audiences, but an alternate ending exists that does more justice to the book. The first adaptation came a decade after I Am Legend's publication, in 1964. It’s as if the film is not only building his character with that moment, it’s also openly asking us to question our feelings for this character, and ultimately his ending. It was based on a book on the same name which was released in the 50s. Add to Wish List. It turns out those changed into vampire-like creatures by the plague have formed their own society and are still mostly intelligent, and view Neville as a monster, a kind of boogeyman they fear and loathe due to his killing of their species. But he's not alone. The theatrical ending of I Am Legend pulls a move that some studio execs, movie stars and even test audiences felt the film needed to pull: it squarely frames Dr. Robert Neville as the hero and the Hemocytes as the villains, and it wraps the film in a nice and neat bow with the cure in play. Robert Neville is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and man-made. Yes, folks, it’s time for another tale of a movie that kind of lost its way in the reshoots, as I Am Legend’s “controversial” ending was changed into something that was more acceptable to audiences. I Am Legend - Which ending do you prefer? What the author originally meant with the title 'I Am Legend' was that he had become the monster,he thought he was the good guy exterminating all the horrible monsters when all along it was actually them that were terrified of him,like the legends of vampires and werewolves and zombies that is what he had become,so that ending may be considered canon,I really didnt like the other ending at all. Much of the story is … This goes directly against the book's idea of Neville having unknowingly become a villain. ගොඩක් දෙනෙක් මේක ගැන දන්නවා ඇති. Whichever ending Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ridley Scott had planned for their version. Now what appears to be the original, alternate ending to I Am Legend is online. One of the big changes was the film’s ending, which was reshot to give the film a more commercial conclusion. I Am Legend subtitles English. I Am Legend is a dystopian story very loosely based upon a book of the same name. Write a review. (Krippen Virus), a genetically-engineered Read more → So if you’re keen on visiting this 12-year-old blockbuster with fresh eyes, head over to Prime Video, as it's just put the film into its streaming library for you to enjoy. When not writing, Michael enjoys going to concerts, taking in live professional wrestling, and debating pop culture. Twitter. Anna and Ethan make it to safety at a protected colony in Vermont, give them the cure, and humanity is saved. As far back as the film’s original home video release in 2008, there was already whispers floating from sites like Vulture that I Am Legend’s ending was changed due to test audiences not really enjoying what it had to say about the hero they’d followed through an entire film’s worth of adventure. Buy, Rent or Watch I Am Legend (Alternate Ending) and other Movies + TV Shows online. Download or stream from your Apple TV, Roku, Smart TV, computer or portable device. Immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and perhaps the world. According to the Theatrical Cut, the darkseekers are displayed as monsters who deserve their annihilation. I Am Legend: Alternate Ending (408) IMDb 7.2 1h 43min 2007. Deciding to sacrifice himself for their safety, Neville pulls the pin on a grenade and charges into the Hemocyte scrum headfirst, killing the Alpha Male and his army. This was actually the third time it had been made into a movie. Facebook. Which, naturally, is provided below as a resource: So if this ending to I Am Legend is so damned good, why was it changed to begin with? Neville abandons his research, takes the cure, and heads along with Anna and Ethan to Vermont, a changed man. CinemaBlend's James Bond (expert). The Will Smith I Am Legend once again fails to replicate this ending, but its alternate conclusion is much closer to the book's message. Which is funny, because throughout the film, we see a Time magazine cover that names him a savior, with his own addition of a question mark after that very word. It’s here we learn that the Hemocytes aren’t mindless brutes, and they’re more socialized than we thought. The first time was in 1964 with The Last Man On Earth featuring Vincent Price, and then in 1971 with The Omega Man with Charlton Heston. Francis Lawrence's 2007 film I Am Legend had not one but two endings, and while both are different from what happens in the original novel by Richard Matheson, the alternate ending not shown in theaters is a lot closer.The movie stars Will Smith as virologist Robert Neville, the apparent sole uninfected survivor in a post-apocalyptic version of New York City where most people are dead, and … It also speaks volumes when you consider the fact that the alternate ending, and its setup, are both official clips from the film that you’ll find on YouTube. Finally, in 2007, Will Smith fronted I Am Legend, the most critically and commercially successful adaptation of Matheson's book yet. However, little details throughout the film, such as the Alpha Male exposing himself to sunlight, and Neville’s assumption of the Hemocytes being totally devoid of human behavior, start to paint another picture. As such, it's no surprise that the book has been adapted for the big screen, in this case three different times. Instead of blowing himself and the hemocytes up with a grenade, Neville discovers that the hemocytes actually came for the female he captured earlier in the movie. Unfortunately, as revealed by I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence, the reason the ending was changed to the happier one seen in theaters is due to intensely negative reactions to the ending where Neville has his villainous realization from test audiences. While still far from the book, it's much closer in spirit, as Neville learns that he isn't quite as righteous as he thought. The Alternative Cut however gives them a more "human" touch and shows humanity as a disturbing factor for them. Horror legend Vincent Price starred in the film, titled The Last Man on Earth. Will Return With New Episodes, Sacha Baron Cohen’s Wife Isla Fisher Reveals What It’s Like Being Married To Borat, ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Interviews with Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and Pedro Pascal, Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Interviews with Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Angela Bassett & More, 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' Interviews with Viola Davis, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo & More, Doctor Strange Director Seemingly Hints At Reasons For Leaving Multiverse Of Madness, Why Netflix's Virgin River Ended On That Major Cliffhanger, Big Things For Dune And Godzilla Vs. Kong May Be On The Way As Legendary And Warner Bros. Stay safe, stay indoors and stay in the light, as you watch I Am Legend on Prime Video. The hero doesn't find the cure, right? The alternative ending shows, supported by 2 preparative scenes, the survival of all mankind, but with a bitter aftertaste. He relieves her of the cure and returns her to the hemocytes. Did those butterflies really mean anything? The Godfather Coda And 10 Other Famous Director’s Cuts To Check Out, 8 Great POC Characters In Sci-fi Movies And TV Shows, Artemis Fowl And 5 Other Movies That Radically Changed The Books On Which They Were Based, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, 8 Things To Remember From Wonder Woman Before Seeing Wonder Woman 1984, Why Tessa Thompson And Nnamdi Asomugha Love Producing Personal Films Like Sylvie’s Love, The Stand: 7 Differences Between The Book And The Show After Episode 2, NBC's One Chicago: When Med, Fire, And P.D. Directors Francis Lawrence Genres Drama Subtitles However, it wasn’t until a full decade later that the truth was revealed by I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence, as an interview with the helmer from 2018 delved into just why the finale to the film was altered in the first place.