Will Smith’s Oscars Moment Will Hurt I Am Legend 2?
Will Smith’s Oscars moment could jeopardize the success of I Am Legend 2. During the 2022 Academy Awards, Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock, the event’s host, in the face. He still went on to receive the Oscar for Best Actor for his lead performance in King Richard. But the controversial moment prompted a flurry of think pieces and articles regarding Smith’s behavior, Rock’s jokes, and the crowd’s reaction to the incident, and it's fair to say there has been a change in perception of Smith's public persona.
This Oscars slap will likely come back to haunt Smith when the long-awaited sequel to I Am Legend is released. The 2007 original is based on Richard Matheson's acclaimed novel of the same name, which toyed with traditional vampire lore to tell a subversive story about isolation, inclusion, and the dangers of myopia. Unfortunately, the adaptation altered the novel’s twist ending and, in doing so, fundamentally changed the story’s meaning. I Am Legend 2 aims to fix the first movie's faults.
Related: I Am Legend's Alternate Ending Explained: What Happens & Why It Was Cut
Will Smith’s Oscars slap and new perceived public persona could hurt I Am Legend 2 with questions over Smith's future movie projects. Whether I Am Legend 2 will go into production after other projects were paused is a very pertinent question. Both Bad Boys 4 and upcoming Netflix release Fast & Loose have been put on ice for now, setting a precedent for others to follw. The much-anticipated sequel was likely going to see the actor play a more peaceful, understanding version of hisI Am Legend antihero character, Dr. Robert Neville and that too may be a problem for audience perception. Smith, after all, has worked hard on his superstar brand.
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