The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly altered the course of our lives, with lockdowns and countless people affected worldwide. The release of the vaccine brought hope to many, but there are those who remain skeptical, fearing potential long-term effects, including the possibility of turning into zombies. This fear has led some to draw parallels with the popular movie I Am Legend. Let’s dive into the conspiracy theory surrounding the film and COVID-19.
Unraveling the I Am Legend COVID-19 Conspiracy
Considering I Am Legend was released in 2007, long before the pandemic, it’s intriguing how it has become connected to COVID-19. In early 2021, a tweet from a user named xConfettiChaosx stated, “I don’t want to alarm anybody.. but y’all remember that I Am Legend Movie? Yeah the one with Will Smith? It was set in 2021.. and the zombie outbreak was due to a failed vaccine.” Although the tweet didn’t go viral, the idea spread across the internet. The theory resurfaced in August 2021 when an article reported that a New York employee refused the vaccine, fearing she would turn into a zombie like in the movie. The fact that the film was set in 2021 only added fuel to the fire, leading people to question the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Separating Fact from Fiction in I Am Legend
While some embraced the conspiracy, others revisited the film’s plot for fact-checking. Contrary to the theory, the outbreak in the movie was caused by a modified measles virus, not a vaccine. Will Smith’s character was actually trying to create a vaccine to protect people. Furthermore, the movie was set in 2012, not 2021. It’s also worth noting that I Am Legend was based on a 1954 novel of the same name, which doesn’t mention anything about a harmful vaccine.
The Original Tweet: A Joke Taken Seriously
The woman who posted the original tweet clarified that she was joking. She tweeted, “If you are here, hello. I am a student nurse and vaccinated. My tweet is dark humor & proves how people always believe anything they read on the internet. Not my problem if you can’t google 5 seconds & see this is all BS. Can’t fix antivax agenda stupid, so I combat with humor.” She also pointed out that a fictional movie shouldn’t be the basis for determining vaccine safety. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of fact-checking and the potential consequences of jokes taken out of context on the internet.
I Am Legend Writer Weighs In
The conspiracy gained so much traction that the film’s writer, Akiva Goldsman, felt compelled to address it. He tweeted, “Oh. My. God. It’s a movie. I made that up. It’s. Not. Real.” His brief response made it clear that he has no patience for such rumors. While there are legitimate concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine, don’t let I Am Legend be a factor in your decision-making process.
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