Brent Spiner returning for Independence Day 2; Joey King also set for sequel

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Director Roland Emmerich took to Twitter yesterday to reveal that two more have joined the growing cast of INDEPENDENCE DAY 2 with THE CONJURING's Joey King and Brent Spiner (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) signing on for the alien invasion fun.

Wait? Spiner? Ah, yes…you may remember that Spiner appeared in the 1996 original as Dr. Brackish Okun, who seemingly met an untimely demise. I say 'seemingly' because Spiner has said in recent years that Okun may have only been in a coma. It was a fun role to see Spiner in since most fans were used to seeing him play the emotionless android Data on "Star Trek: TNG", so it will be cool to see him return to the zany character of Dr. Okun.

Spiner and King join a cast that includes Jeff Goldblum, Liam Hemsworth, Jessie Usher, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vivica A. Fox, and Travis Tope. It is believed that Bill Pullman will be returning in some capacity as well, but the actor’s involvement has not yet been confirmed.

Set to hit theaters June 24, 2016 (almost exactly 20 years after the original), INDEPENDENCE DAY 2 is looking to begin production in May. Dean Devlin wrote the first draft of the film with Emmerich, while James A. Woods and Nicolas Wright wrote the most recent draft. James Vanderbilt also had a hand in writing the movie, which Emmerich and Devlin are producing with Harald Kloser.