What Is I Am Legend’s Canon Ending? Answered

I Am Legend is one of the biggest Will Smith movies ever, earning $585 million worldwide at the box office. And while the movie finished with a pretty closed ending, there’s actually going to be an I Am Legend 2 with Michael B. Jordan. Interestingly enough, Will Smith is also coming back, so what exactly is I Am Legend’s canon ending? Here’s everything you need to know

Is the Alternate Ending in I Am Legend Canon?

For I Am Legend 2, the alternate ending is now canon. In this cut, Smith’s character, Neville, realizes the Darkseekers are intelligent creatures, communicate between them, and have formed a society, so he frees the subjects he was experimenting with. 

Neville also realizes he has become a “legend” to the Darkseekers after killing hundreds of them and decides to leave New York with Anna and Ethan. This alternative ending becoming canon has been confirmed by the sequel’s writer and producer, Akiva Goldsman, when speaking with Deadline. 

He explains that this ending was much closer in spirit to the one in Richard Matheson’s novel. This might also be the only way to bring Smith’s character back. 

How Does the I Am Legend Book End?

The 1954 book the movie is based on ends when Matheson is captured by the infected and is going to be executed. An old friend gives him suicide pills, and he takes them while understanding the time of humans has ended, acknowledging he was heartless towards the undead, killing many without a second thought for them. 

He dies amused, thinking he’ll be a legend to the new race born of the infection, one as scary and big as vampires were once to humans.

Now that you know what is I Am Legend’s canon ending, you can look for more guides and news about movies on Twinfinite. As you can see below, we have all the answers.