From the sounds of it, Fox is really holding out hope that Will Smith is going to change his mind and sign up for the INDEPENDENCE DAY sequel currently being developed. Despite numerous refusals from Smith, Emmerich is still playing it safe and including the first film’s star in the screenplay for ID4EVER. Well, at least one version of the screenplay.
According to IndieWire, Emmerich and James Vanderbilt have been polishing the latest drafts of the screenplay and mentioned that the version with Will Smith in it is looking good. Whether this means it is looking good as the one to get produced is unclear.
The biggest question from Emmerich’s comments is that when asked about the film’s status, he sighed and said it was a daily battle over budget, schedules, and actors. We have already learned that Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman are keen to return and that Michael B. Jordan has also been looked at as a possible new lead. Whether Jordan would be replacing Will Smith or acting alongside him remains to be seen.
I look back at INDEPENDENCE DAY as one of the most fun times I have had at the movies as a kid. It feels like it has been too long for the sequel to get made, but I will still be in line opening weekend to check it out, with or without Will Smith.
ID4EVER is slated for a July 3, 2015 release.
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