Why The I Am Legend Alternate Ending Wasn’t Used

I Am Legend alternate ending wasn’t faithful to the original novel ending, but it was more conventional and crowd-pleasing. When the original ending was tested, the audience found it unsatisfying and a bit confusing. They wanted to watch Neviile be victorious over the vampires rather than be portrayed as the villain in the end. But it can be said that the alternate ending was closer to the spirit, with Neville understanding that he isn’t the most righteous man either.

As a result, Neville is shown holed up in his laboratory making attempts to discover the antidote for the virus. Ultimately, he discovers it but finds himself surrounded by Dark Seekers with confrontation as the only way out. Eventually, he sacrifices himself to kill the vampires and save Anna-Ethan, who can later be seen finding a survivor’s colony with Neville’s antidote that can retrieve their civilization. Also, many critics find this ending very dark and depressing.

The ultimate decision and control over the ending of the film are in the hands of the filmmakers. The theoretical ending was approved after much contemplation, keeping in mind different essential factors involved in the process, like the test audience response, the faithfulness of the source material, and their artistic vision. Therefore, it is best to support their decision.

Were you aware that your favorite horror movie, I Am Legend, could have ended on a completely different note? Those who have read the original novel from 1954 would have been surprised to watch the theoretical ending of the movie. With too much contemplation viewers would be confused and have questions about why the filmmakers didn’t go with the original ending. Well, to ease the stress, this blog will answer all these curiosities as we go in-depth to understand the I Am Legend alternate ending.