Will Smith’s 19-Year-Old Sci-Fi Movie Is a Top 10 Netflix Hit As Fans Wait for the Sequel

In the ’90s, Will Smith established himself as a box office powerhouse by headlining hit sci-fi films such as Independence Day and Men in Black. Considering that success, it’s no surprise sci-fi is a genre Smith has continued to revisit over the course of his career. Some projects didn’t turn out as well as he would have liked (see: After Earth), but others resonated with audiences. One of the highlights of Smith’s filmography is I Am Legend, an adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic novel of the same name. Earning generally positive reviews (68% on Rotten Tomatoes), the film grossed $585.4 million at the worldwide box office. Nearly two decades later, it’s become a streaming hit.

For the week of May 11th-17th, I Am Legend was the No. 10 movie on Netflix globally. During that time, it accumulated 2.8 million views and was watched for a total of 4.7 million hours. It finished tied with Mechanic: Resurrection on the chart. This was I Am Legend‘s first week on the streamer’s top 10.

The I Am Legend Sequel Is Finally Coming Together

While Matheson’s novel was a standalone story, there’s been talk of an I Am Legend follow-up film for a while. At first, a prequel was in development, but then there was a pivot to a sequel. It’s taken a long time to come together, but that film is finally taking some significant steps forward. Back in April, Creed II director Steven Caple Jr. confirmed he was attached to helm I Am Legend 2. There’s no word on a production timeline or a release date as of this writing.

Though I Am Legend 2 appears to be in the earliest stages, we do know a couple of things about the film. Newly crowned Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan has joined the cast. The initial speculation was that he could be playing the son of Will Smith’s Robert Neville, but Smith himself shared that Jordan is actually portraying the leader of a human survivor settlement in Connecticut. Additionally, I Am Legend 2 will be following up on the alternate ending from the first film, in which Robert Neville survives. Most are in agreement that’s the stronger ending, but it creates a bit of a hurdle I Am Legend 2 will have to clear. Those who are unfamiliar with the alternate conclusion could be confused, so it’ll be interesting to see how the filmmakers handle that during promotion.

Read Next

How the Sequel to Will Smith’s 19-Year-Old Sci-Fi Could Actually Deliver a Proper Adaptation After Decades

As fans wait to see I Am Legend 2 finally come together, the Netflix numbers illustrate Warner Bros. is smart to pursue the project. The original I Am Legend continues to be a draw even though it’s almost 20 years old at this point. That shows people are interested in this universe, and would probably be up for another compelling post-apocalyptic tale. Pairing Smith with Jordan feels like a surefire way to build buzz for the sequel. Both are fan-favorite actors who have won Oscars and have multiple box office hits under their belts. It wouldn’t be a shock to see I Am Legend 2 replicate its predecessor’s success.

I Am Legend‘s performance on Netflix this past week is even more impressive when you consider the fact that it’s only streaming on the platform in select international territories. The viewership figures would probably be even higher if it was on Netflix in the United States. This indicates I Am Legend has a large, worldwide following, which bodes well for the sequel’s box office prospects. The theatrical landscape has changed significantly over the past handful of years, but international markets are still important — particularly for big-budget genre films.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!