In Richard Matheson’s novel “I Am Legend,” vampires populate the world. Some, who are reanimated undead, look like stereotypical vampires, while others, infected while alive, can pass for uninfected humans. Either way, they wear clothes, talk, and run their own society. The first two movie adaptations of the novel, “The Last Man on Earth,” and “The Omega Man,” followed this plot point, though the latter presents them as nocturnal mutants rather than vampires. The third, which is the only one to bear the name of the book, changed them to feral creatures called Darkseers.
This didn’t just call for a costume change — it called for them to go from clothed to wearing minimal, torn garments, if any. And more: originally, director Francis Lawrence (whose name will come up again in this list) had prosthetics put on actors. Frustrated by their physical inability to safely portray the creatures’ constantly spiking metabolisms, however, he opted to add a layer of CG, and millions to the budget. The result received criticism for the digital “costumes,” but not enough to deter an on-the-way sequel.