2. I Am Legend (2007)
Dissecting the history of I Am Legend is messy. It’s an average film that could have been great that’s loosely based on an excellent story. I Am Legend follows virologist Robert Neville as he attempts to cure the plague that has turned humanity into monstrous vampiric creatures. Oh, and he lives with an adorable dog.
The film is based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel of the same name, which had been adapted twice before. 1964’s The Last Man on Earth and 1971’s The Omega Man also follow the same general story beats. Each film concerns an apocalyptic plane as well as a lone survivor desperately seeking a cure.
It’s silly, but the reason this fact isn’t better known is ultimately down to the variation in titles. With three adaptations all given different titles, I Am Legend is the only one in line with the book. The quality of the remake is debatable, too: it’s a passable movie, but it’s riddled with plot holes. It deviates from the book’s story, too, making it just another underwhelming remake.