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Hollywood movies derive between 30-50 percent of their revenue from overseas markets. New York is one of the most recognized cities in the world.
So if you want a movie that audiences around the world will connect to are you going to set your movie in Cleveland or New York? Remember you’re betting (in this case) $30 million on this movie (in the case of I Am Legend closer to $200 million).
Movie makers have been picking on New York forever (Escape from New York anyone, the remade US version of Godzilla?) not because of 9/11 but because they want foreign audiences to be able to connect to the movie.
Granted cities like London, Paris, Berlin, Singapore, Tokyo and others are equally recognizable to international audiences but the US public (who make up 50-70 percent of revenue) doesn’t really care what happens outside the US so few Hollywood moves get set in those cities.
