WB is working on a sequel to the movie I Am Legend, will Will Smith returning as Robert Neville (I can’t type that name without thinking of Neville’s pot-bellied neighbor Ben Cortman standing in the street, hungrily shouting out “Come out, Neville!” Don’t remember Cortman? Then go read Matheson’s 1954 classic novel so you too can squirm at the memory of Neville’s ex-coworker turned nightly vampire visitor. Great character.).

Back to point, Variety is reporting that D.B Weiss is writing the first version of the script, from a story created by Smith, producers Akiva Goldsman and James Lassiter, and director Francis Lawrence. As Variety says:

“The prequel will chronicle the final days of humanity in New York before a man-made virus caused a plague that left Smith’s character the lone survivor among a mutated mob in the city.”

According to Variety, I Am Legend grossed $584 million worldwide for Warner Bros. Weiss, you may remember, was one of the screenwriters for Peter Jackson’s Halo movie, adapted from the superb Bungie video game.