EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. is upping the stakes on its I Am Legend franchise to a stratospheric level. For its next chapter, the studio is bringing back not only original star Will Smith but also Black Panther actor Michael B. Jordan in what will rep the duo’s first big movie together as stars and producers.
Talk about two big stars aligning: Smith and Jordan’s movies combined have grossed a massive $12.3 billion worldwide.
Plot details, of course, are being kept under wraps.
Akiva Goldsman AP Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman, who adapted the Richard Matheson 1954 novel, is also returning to pen the follow-up and producer as well.
All these deals are closed, I understand, and a director is not attached as of yet as the project is still being developed. Francis Lawrence directed the original 2007 movie.
Jordan and Elizabeth Raposo are producing via their Outlier Society banner. Smith and Westbrook Studios Co-President, Head of Motion Pictures, Jon Mone will produce the project with Ryan Shimazaki overseeing on behalf of Westbrook Studios. James Lassiter will serve as EP. Goldsman and Greg Lessans will also produce via Weed Road Pictures.
I Am Legend starred Smith in a nearly deserted apocalyptic New York City amidst zombies, and opened to $77.2M in early December at the domestic B.O. and went on to gross $256.4M stateside, $585.4M worldwide.
The big news for Smith comes in the wake of him being nominated for Best Actor and Best Picture at the Oscars, as well as a SAG Awards Best Actor win for King Richard. The film racked up six Oscar noms as well for Best Supporting Actress (Aunjanue Ellis), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing and the Original Song “Be Alive” from Beyonce and Dixson.
Outlier Society is also in development with Warner Bros on Static Shock, a live action adaptation of DC Comics’ ground-breaking series, penned by Randy McKinnon and with Reginald Hudlin also producing alongside Outlier.
Outlier Society is currently in production on MGM/UAR’s Creed III with Jordan both directing and starring as Adonis Creed. The film is slated for release on Nov. 23..
Other film projects on Outlier Society’s upcoming slate include Amazon Studios’ adaptation of the highly-anticipated novel You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi; MGM’s Thomas Crown Affair being written by Wes Tooke. In the TV space, Outlier’s upcoming projects include Amazon Studios’ Victories Greater Than Death, The Broken Earth and the Muhammad Ali series The Greatest.
I AM LEGEND Everett Collection Westbrook Studios film projects include the six-time Oscar nominated movie King Richard, based on the life of Richard Williams, father to tennis greats Serena and Venus as well as the upcoming high profile projects include the film Emancipation, which sold to Apple TV+ in the largest film festival acquisition deal in film history, sports drama Redd Zone, starring Jada Pinkett Smith at Netflix and based on the true story of Tia Magee and her sons, the hip-hop musical feature Summertime based on Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s hit song for Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems, Clean Air, a joint project from Westbrook, NASCAR and the Chainsmokers, action-thriller Fast & Loose starring Smith and directed by David Leitch, and The Soul Superhero, a live action musical fantasy film with a screenplay that is co-written by Kwame Kwei-Armah and songwriter-producer, Freddy Wexler, and based on an original story by Wexler.
Weed Road Pictures is a production company founded by producer, director and Oscar-winning writer Goldsman. Weed Road has produced both critically acclaimed and commercially successful motion picture titles including Deep Blue Sea, Constantine, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, I Am Legend, Hancock, Fair Game, Lone Survivor and Without Remorse. Upcoming films include Brilliance starring Smith; Major Matt Mason starring Tom Hanks; The Billion Dollar Spy directed by Amma Asante; Firestarter directed by Keith Thomas; Flight directed by Johannes Roberts; Caster, an adaptation of the YA book by Elsie Chapman; Back to the Outback, an animated comedy for Netflix; and Meet Cute starring Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson. TV titles include Titans, which is co-executive produced by Berlanti Productions and DC Entertainment; Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for CBS All Access; The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay , based on Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel; Gormenghast based on the books by Mervyn Peake; Havenfall based on the novel by Sara Holland; and Crowded Room, an Apple Anthology Series starring Tom Holland.
Jordan and Outlier Society are represented by M88, WME, and Gregory Slewett. Smith is represented by CAA. Goldsman is repped by CAA and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
Smith gave a heads up on the project soon after we the Deadline article:
