'I Am Legend' Headed for Reboot without Will Smith

After trying in vain to interest Will Smith in a sequel, Warner has ultimately decided to reboot the post-apocalyptic movie, launching what is likely to become a multi-film franchise.

Released in 2007, "I Am Legend" earned $584.1 million at the worldwide box office, so it's no surprise that the studio is keen to expand upon the idea, particularly as recent productions like "World War Z" and "The Walking Dead" prove zombies are as popular as ever.

According to Deadline, Warner Bros is developing a script titled "A Garden at the End of the World" as a reboot of the "I Am Legend" story, with similar themes and settings. Will Smith is not expected to take part in the resulting movie.

"I Am Legend" is an adaptation of the eponymous Richard Matheson novel published in 1954, which focuses on the sole survivor of a strange pandemic that turns people into vampire-like creatures. The book came to the big screen in 1964 with the feature "The Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price, and again in 1971 with "The Omega Man" with Charlton Heston.

The novel also inspired a number of directors over the years, including zombie genre legend George Romero.