The Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man are both based on I Am Legend. The book was also an inspiration for Night of the Living Dead.

I always thought they hated him because he was going around killing them during the daylight and that some of the ones he killed hadn't actually "turned" yet and were still human.

What else would you call them? They had fangs and drank blood!

They're nocturnal creatures who drink blood, can be repelled by crosses (well, religious icons) and garlic, vulnerable to sunlight, die by stake through the heart... what would you call them?

This isn't a case of 28 Days Later's non-zombies, after all. They seem pretty vampirish to me. I always thought there were two forms of "vampire people" in the book - the bloodthirsty ghouls, and the survivors to who the bacterium mutates, allowing them to live.

I could see that. Even though the ending is sort of crucial to the whole story I mean

Christian Bale would be another good choice, after his turns in both The Machinist and Batman Begins. Will Smith might be able to do it, if they don't bank on his typical persona.

Sadly, I think that's exactly why they're doing it.

Don't forget the fact that he can give you a hot hip-hop soundtrack as well!

Ralph Fiennes would have been my choice.
But of course he is not a household name.

I'm pretty sure that's not the case.

I hope they dont change it either since it is what the title is derived from. I just see the ending going down as..

I like Will Smith and he can be good when pushed. I did enjoy I, Robot as a non-adaptation of the book but I'd rather this film not follow the same route.

Wesley Snipes would be perfect for this! ;)

"Aww hell no!" Had to do it again. ;)

Will Smith for I Am Legend? Great.going to be PG-13 with slapstick humor from Smith. Comon man,that is hardly the pick i would have chosen for the last man on Earth.My possible Choices (Not in order)

1.Thomas Jane (Not mainstream by longshot but i think he is a pretty good actor overall and underated and deserving of some big lead roles)

2.Arnold Schwarzenegger (was originally suppose to play this role and with a better script than the one now)

3.Christian Bale (Was posted earlier and the more i think about it... interesting)

While I very much want to see "I Am Legend" turned into a good movie, I disagree that the movie would vastly improve the book. There is an isolation and examination of a personality that I don't think a movie can convey as effectively as the book.

As for Will Smith, I still don't like the choice several days later. If allowed to, I think he could put in an effective performance, but I don't believe he was attached to the project for that. And, as others mentioned, I'm afraid the ending would be "revamped" for "today's audiences."

I would much rather see a lower profile actor than someone mainstream. In staying with the British roots, I kind of imagine someone like Brendan Gleeson as Neville. In "28 Days Later" he had that haggard, survivalist thing going already.

I'm looking forward to this film. In fact, it will probably be my most anticipated film next year. I am a fan of Francis Lawrence and Will Smith is okay by me.

I started reading the book again. It's so damn good. For a fifty-year-old book, it holds up really well.

i know will smith has made a lot of funny movies. yes, I, Robot was not a good adaption of the book, but is that his fault or the directors/producers?

the fresh prince has also done Ali, which didn't suffer from any of the things you guys are complaining about. Big Will does have the talent to handle a serious role.

People aren't really saying that he doesn't have the talent. It's just that usually when Will Smith is involved, the studio wants to make some money. And usually the studio equates money with a shitty, brainless action movie---which isn't what I Am Legend is all about.

Thank you, Corvin, for reinforcing my point... Will Smith in a Michael Mann film that was created to nab critical acclaim and awards is not comparable to a planned summer blockbuster with a bland music video director at the helm of a not-that-great script, and while I'd like it not to be the case, the simplest answer is that Smith is being cast fr his Box Office drawing power, reminding me less of his great work in Men In Black (A summer blockbuster, but with a great script, a great director and a rapport with a "buddy" - which Smith won't have in I Am Legend) and rather his hopeless miscasting in Wild Wild West.

Wow, was that ever a run-on.

I'm having a nasty image of a clean-cut, ripped Smith in wire-fu fights with CGI vampires, spouting wisecracks while there's only 24 hours to rescue his wife from the evil vampire king. Calling that I Am Legend would be a disservice.

I restate my wishes of Good Luck to Francis Lawrence. Everyone involved has teh ability, I hope they use it and don't just collect paychecks.

I really hate when actors are shoehorned into roles to sell tickets. I Am Legend is a serious and IMO seminal work of science fiction that is going to get adapted into audience pleasing, utterly forgettable drivel. Omega Man suffered a bit from excessive grooviness but it was at it's heart a serious and well mounted attempt at adapting Matheson's work. And Heston was quite good in it. This is a work that screams for a gifted director, a small to medium sized budget and a good but little known lead actor (ala Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later) coupled with a character actor filled cast and it's going to get turned into a gargantuan, bloated effects driven nightmare. Bleh! :(

So I'm driving into work today, and for some reason I'm thinking about what kind of roles Arnold will be getting once the Governership is over. And then I think, "He could always go back and do I am Legend. (internal chuckle) Boy am I glad they decided not to go ahead and make that movie with Will Smith." Then I come home and read this.

Not only am I pretty weirded out, I'm pretty damn disappointed.

I watched The Last Man on Earth (1964) yesterday. It was a pretty good adaptation of I am Legend.