ROTTEN TOMATOES: Will Smith Talks Spielberg's Chicago Seven, Alternate I Am Legend Ending

Will Smith Talks Spielberg's Chicago Seven, Alternate I Am Legend Ending

He's just waiting on the script from "Steve."

by Jeff Giles | January 17, 2008

He isn't even finished with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull yet, but why should we let that stop us from speculating about Steven Spielberg's next movie?

Until recently, the assumption had been that Spielberg would move on to his long-planned Lincoln biopic after Indy 4, but one of the other projects on his always-crowded plate, The Trial of the Chicago Seven, looks like it'll be served up first.

The Chicago Seven rumors gathered steam after Vanity Fair listed Will Smith, Taye Diggs, Adam Arkin, Kevin Spacey, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as already being attached to star in the picture, which follows the -- you guessed it -- trial of a group of protesters who helped disrupt the 1968 Democratic convention.

Now, Collider (via Brazilian sister site Omelete) reports that Smith has kinda-sorta confirmed those rumors. In Sao Paolo to promote the Brazilian opening of I Am Legend, he responded to the Spielberg question by saying:

"When Steve is ready he will send it. I don't know specifics, story, anything, but he told me the filming dates, so I can be free to do it. It's not a 100% sure thing yet, but I'm confident."

And speaking of I Am Legend, Collider also reports that director Francis Lawrence has confirmed the existence of an alternate ending for the film, one which is due for inclusion on the "second DVD release." No details were given, although Smith did refer to the new ending as "less commercial," so it's probably safe to assume it hews a little closer to the ending of Richard Matheson's book.

Source: Collider
Source: Omelete

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(1-20 of 38 posts) | Reply

Weicher writes:
on Jan 17 2008 05:37 AM

Yes, please: make it closer to the book. The film's ending sucked ***.

(Reply to this)

red_wine writes:
on Jan 17 2008 06:03 AM

The film sucked.

(Reply to this)

Oblivioncry writes:
on Jan 17 2008 06:07 AM

yeah the film ending was kinda weird.....not bad but not good either.

and oh just heard for the first time of the trial. spielberg is the right one to direct it.

(Reply to this)

Vortex&Vertigo writes:
on Jan 17 2008 06:21 AM

Sorry to dissapoint you dude, but the film's ending is as closest as you can get from the book. The Alternate ending is even happier.

(Reply to this)

paskunia writes:
on Jan 17 2008 06:58 AM

Not a spoiler, but the book and theatrical movie endings are very similar, except for the person or persons who control Will's final destiny.
I wonder how he gets out of it in the DVD release. Maybe he dies and goes off to Valhalla like the dead people in Lord of the Rings. Just a guess.
There was a similar variation between the two endings of the movie and video versions of "1408", one semi-happy and one sad (I'm not saying which is which). But if you've seen one version, then you don't need to see (or rent) the other.

(Reply to this)

SpawnofAchilles writes:
on Jan 17 2008 07:34 AM

In reply to this comment (#1481088)
Paskunia,
What are you talking about? The ending to the story is VASTLY DIFFERENT (AND SUPERIOR) to that of the film. I though the first 2/3 of I Am Legend the film were very good, the last third was terrible and the ending sucked.

I mean the overall outcome for the Neville character is the same in the book and the movie but the tone and impact are completely different.

(Reply to this)

iakobos writes:
on Jan 17 2008 08:04 AM

Well I haven't read the book but according to wikipedia, Neville really is the last man on earth. Therefore, if the alternate ending is going to more closely follow the book, when Neville dies so does the woman and the boy and thus all of humanity is completely wiped out.

(Reply to this)

jokerboy1991 writes:
on Jan 17 2008 08:14 AM

I think that Chicago 7 would be a great movie, also im glad there gonna release I Am Legend with a different ending, now ittl just nee more footage (come on 1:40 minutes), more blood, and have a **** load of special features. I'm gonna wait for that DVD to come out, because I didn't the the movie was ok but could have been better.

(Reply to this)

jokerboy1991 writes:
on Jan 17 2008 08:18 AM

When will smith says ittl come out on the second DVD release what exactly does that mean. Will they come out with a 1 disc version and a 2 disc version when it hits DVD, or will they wait a couple of months or years before they release that ending on DVD.

(Reply to this)

cypress550 writes:
on Jan 17 2008 08:20 AM

it wasnt the worst movie but the ending brought it way down.

(Reply to this)

OperaGhost21 writes:
on Jan 17 2008 08:25 AM

I think they're a little optimistic to believe that they can safely release two different DVD versions of this piece of crap.

(Reply to this)

southwick writes:
on Jan 17 2008 10:00 AM

In reply to this comment (#1481088)
I am guessing Paskunia has never actually read the book, considering the two endings are.. well they are as alike as a dog and a jelly fish.

One smart and noble, the other dumb and squishy.

(Reply to this)

kissman24 writes:
on Jan 17 2008 10:10 AM

That must mean that version of the movie that sucks less actually exists. Personally, I wish an alternate entire 2nd half of the the movie existed.

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Jan 17 2008 10:10 AM

Well thats **** that he's putting the Lincoln movie on the backburner yet again.

(Reply to this)

AgentONeal writes:
on Jan 17 2008 10:25 AM

In reply to this comment (#1481088)
The hell they are. The ending to the book and to the movie are COMPLETELY different. You obviously have never even read the book.

I liked the movie, hated the ending. Can't wait to see this alternate ending.

(Reply to this)

ManofStee1 writes:
on Jan 17 2008 12:00 PM

The ending of I Am Legend SUCKED. The rest was very good, looking forward to seeing the grim ending that should have been there in the first place.

(Reply to this)

N720MF writes:
on Jan 17 2008 12:15 PM

For I Am Legend, despite a flimsy script, a relative lack of talent, and the occasional misstep, for three quarters both the director and actor performed way beyond what they were capable; it%u2019s a palpably tense and thrillingly suspenseful monster flick, though you can sort of sense that defeat is inevitable.

And that fourth quarter proves to be an epic train wreck.

(Reply to this)

SpikesInMySkull writes:
on Jan 17 2008 12:20 PM

******BOOK SPOILER (WTF happend to spoiler tags?)*********

I'm going to spell out the book ending for those that don't get it, if you don't want spoiled, don't read it. Also I hope the spoiler tags still work, as the button is gone, if not, RT... FIX IT!!!

[spoiler]In the book, first of all Neville spends a good part of each hunting, killing and buring Vampire/Zombies, because are mindless shambling monsters that eat people.

The "twist" at the end is that at somepoint during the years Neville spends doing this, the infected adapt to the infection, and though still essentially Vampire/Zombie monsters they have regained their mental faculties and are have been rebuilding society as Vampire/Zombie monsters. Of course Neville is completely oblivious to this because he fortresses himself in his house at night and the infected, though evolved, are still incapable of functioning during the day.

So essentially, while Neville believes he's out hunting monsters, what he's really doing is dragging innocent, helpless people out of bed and murdering them and as such is the real monster of the story, HENCE the title: "I am Legend."

This has absolutely -NOTHING- in common with the movie ending.[/spoiler]

(Reply to this)

SpikesInMySkull writes:
on Jan 17 2008 12:22 PM

SPOILER!!!!!

...spoiler tags don't work.

(Reply to this)

photosuperstar writes:
on Jan 17 2008 12:55 PM

Man the movie ending sucked, after reading the book, it ruined the whole film for me. I really do hope the alt ending is closer Matheson's.

(Reply to this)

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