Will Smith has been given a 40th birthday gift by Warner Bros. bosses— the chance to reprise his I Am Legend character Robert Neville in a prequel to the 2007 blockbuster.

Movie executives have greenlighted the film on the movie star's birthday, confirming Francis Lawrence will return as the director and D.B. Weiss will pen the script.

Smith's scientist character was killed in the last film.

And it's not the only Will Smith action/sci-fi blockbuster set for a second outing— the birthday boy's Hancock co-star Charlize Theron has hinted at a sequel.

In a recent interview with MTV, the actress said, "If everybody's on board, I would be an idiot (not to do it)... Riding the Will Smith train is a really nice train to ride."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)