FROM THE NEWS ARCHIVES OF CINEMA CONFIDENTIAL

Will Smith declares "I Am Legend"
POSTED ON 04/26/06 AT 2:30 P.M.
BY ETHAN AAMES

Variety reports today that Will Smith has officially committed to "I Am Legend" for Warner Bros. Pictures. Francis Lawrence ("Constantine") will be directing the feature. Akiva Goldsman ("The Da Vinci Code") rewrote a screenplay by Mark Protosevic.

The movie, which has been in development for over a decade, has been stalled numerous times. Arnold Schwarzenegger was originally attached to star in the 90s before dropping out.

Loosely based on "The Omega Man," the movie is set in a post-apocalyptic New York where the human race has been wiped out by a deadly virus. Trapped during the day in his home, the last remaining healthy human (Smith) must battle mutants at night if he wants to survive.