Set in a post-apocalyptic (by virus) New York City, the film features a scene in the early moments of the story when star Will Smith walks the now vegetation-covered streets of Manhattan. Hunting for a stray deer in Times Square, Smith's Robert Neville character comes upon the TKTS booth in 2012. The completed booth — which is, in real life, currently unfinished — is based on the actual plans for the new ticket hub.

Fans may have also noted billboards for Broadway shows that would have still been running in 2009. Among the musicals that allegedly are still on the boards include Wicked, Avenue Q, Hairspray and Rent. Legally Blonde plays at the Palace Theatre, which is located directly in the famous thoroughfare. Keen eyes may have also noted a billboard for Lestat — which had played the Palace prior to Blonde. The inclusion of the now-departed Lestat may be a nod to the vampires in the original book upon which the "I Am Legend" film is based — or a simple product placement for the Warnes Bros. property in a Warner Bros. feature.

"We had to decide which Broadway shows would still be open in 2009," visual-effects supervisor Janek Sirrs told New York Magazine in an interview, also noting the placement of a faux WB film in the new motion picture. "We've got an ad for Superman vs. Batman in there somewhere," Sirrs said.