According to director Roland Emmerich, he has an idea for Independence Day 3. Not long after the sequel to the original Independence Day, Independence Day: Resurgence hit theatres in 2016, it seemed like the idea of a part three was dead and buried, despite Emmerich having set up an idea that Independence Day 3 would be an “intergalactic journey.” However, after critics bashed the sequel and it didn’t perform at the box office, producer Dean Devlin said he had no plans for another film, and even Emmerich himself explained how Will Smith’s absence ruined Resurgence, and once the star opted out, he should “have stopped making the movie.”
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The first Independence Day was released in 1996, and it starred Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, and told the story of a group of people trying to get to safety when an alien invasion happens. But on Independence Day, the people fight back and win their battle against the extraterrestrial race. The film was applauded for being visually spectacular, and it has been viewed by many as classic ‘90s blockbuster entertainment. The film also grossed over $817 million worldwide against a budget of $75 million. The 2016 sequel, however, did not quite hit the same heights as its predecessor. Set twenty years after the first film, Resurgence tells the tale of another alien invasion, only this time it’s after the United Nations believe they have created a program that will keep them safe from alien attacks. The film was criticized for being predictable, containing plot holes, and also, to explain Smith’s absence, they decided to kill his character off (off-screen). However, now the director of the franchise seems to have a change of tune to the idea of a third installment.
In an interview with Screen Rant while promoting his 2019 film Midway (which is now available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and On Demand), we talked to Emmerich about the various Fox properties Disney is rebooting, such as Planet of the Apes and Home Alone. When asked if he would be interested in working on Independence Day 3 with the Mouse House, Emmerich replied by saying: “Yeah, absolutely. I have actually a great idea for a sequel.”
They say time heals all wounds, and it feels like that is the case for Emmerich here, as the failure of Resurgence seemed to have left a bitter taste in not just the audience’s mouth, but the director’s as well. Emmerich famously stated before Resurgence that he did not like sequels, but he seems to want to hop on to yet another sequel in the future. Although, whether or not Disney believes the Independence Day franchise is worthy of yet another film remains to be seen.
A big gaping hole in the last Independence Day was Smith’s absence, the actor who went onto become a huge star in Hollywood after the first film. Perhaps to repair some of the damage and sell the idea of a third film, Emmerich could tell the story of how Smith’s character died. Also, there’s always the idea that Smith could somehow still be alive after all this time. As of right now, audiences will likely have to wait and see if the director’s idea for an Independence Day 3 ever sees the light of day.
Midway is available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and On Demand February 18 from Lionsgate.
