A new anti-vaxx conspiracy theory based on the blockbuster movie, I am Legend has been making the rounds among the tin hat brigade.
The 2007 sci-fi movie featuring Will Smith was dragged into the murky underbelly of the anti-vax conspiracy world after the owner of an eyewear store reported that he was struggling to persuade some of his employees to get a Covid jab.
According to reports in the New York Times, one member of his team had shown a reluctance because she thought the vaccine would turn her into a zombie.
I’m sorry, what? https://t.co/KGCWsuqDtp pic.twitter.com/CF0qqqCOoG
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) August 9, 2021
He delved into this ‘theory’ a bit more and found it had major traction on social media.
The nonsense is also seeping through Qanon (who else?) forums and Pro-Trump groups.
Well now I’m down this rabbit hole. “I am Legend” anti-vax references and content also quite popular on pro-Trump and QAnon forums, which seeps over to Facebook pic.twitter.com/Z4ydTYtx6M
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) August 9, 2021
Screenwriter
Akiva Goldsman, the screenwriter in question, lampooned the theories, tweeting:
“Oh. My. God. It’s a movie. I made that up. It’s. Not. Real.”
Oh. My. God. It’s a movie. I made that up. It’s. Not. Real.
— Akiva Goldsman (@AkivaGoldsman) August 9, 2021
Reactions
As expected there were a few choice comments about this mad theory on social media.
Here’s what people had to say:
1.
When the screenwriter of I am Legend has to step up and say the fictional scenarios of vaccines resulting in zombies in the movie is, well, fiction…. https://t.co/jjPoKp2Ro5
— Aparna Nair (@DisabilityStor1) August 9, 2021
2.
We are doomed https://t.co/y2Z8srlhIp
— Mike (@MikeyFourTweets) August 10, 2021
3.
Some people are anti-vaccine because they think it will turn them into the zombies from ‘I Am Legend’ ?
— Culture Crave ? (@CultureCrave) August 9, 2021
The plague in the film was caused by a genetically reprogrammed virus, not a vaccine
(via @nytimes) pic.twitter.com/cs6RxIYkL1
4.
“I’ve done my own research” = “I misremembered the plot of I Am Legend” https://t.co/ReBk3QXgAb
— Joe Berkowitz (@JoeBerkowitz) August 9, 2021
5.
It’s insane to base your vaccine skepticism on the movie I Am Legend, but even if you tried, it was the virus itself that caused the movie’s pandemic, not a vaccine
— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) August 9, 2021
Also, the hero of the movie is literally a virologist who found a cure—like the experts anti-vaxxers attack. https://t.co/tkxIsW6Dv0
6.
After seeing why I Am Legend and Tigger on trending today, I wish the earth was flat so I could jump off of it. pic.twitter.com/R682VWeS1A
— Fred Villarruel (@fredv21) August 9, 2021
7.
me finding out why I Am Legend is trending pic.twitter.com/cX20tCQm87
— Francis Santos-Viola (@effessvee) August 10, 2021
8.
If you’ve got someone in your life basing medical choices off the movie, I Am Legend, please get them the help they need like now.
— Dan ?? (@HStarshot) August 9, 2021
Related: Anti-vaxxers lampooned after they storm BBC News building – 8 years late