For years we have been hearing rumblings of a sequel to the alien invasion hit INDEPENDENCE DAY. The long-gestating projects have been covered here on AITH a number of times over the last few years (including HERE and HERE), but there seemingly hasn’t been much forward momentum on the films.
While we wait on word on the 3D re-release of the original film (which has apparently been put on hold indefinitely), director Roland Emmerich recently spoke with EW about the potential franchise sequels, sharing that the titles would be ID FOREVER PART I and ID FOREVER PART II and that the films would be taking place 20 years after the original film as alien reinforcements finally arrive to attack Earth once again. But humans are ready this time, as Emmerich explains…
The humans knew that one day the aliens would come back. And they know that the only way you can really travel in space is through wormholes. So for the aliens, it could take two or three weeks, but for us that’s 20 or 25 years.
It’s a changed world. It’s like parallel history. [Humans] have harnessed all this alien technology. We don’t know how to duplicate it because it’s organically-grown technology, but we know how to take an antigravity device and put it in a human airplane.”
So who will be fighting the aliens this time around? Bill Pullman has expressed his desire to return for the sequels, but there hasn’t been any word on whether or not Will Smith would be involved. However, it might not matter since the film takes place 20 years later, and it sounds like a new generation will take over.
One of the new human heroes includes Will Smith’s characters stepson Dylan, played in the original film by Ross Bagley. Emmerich says…
“It’s still some of the same characters, but also new younger characters; it’s a little bit like the sons take over.”
The scripts for ID FOREVER parts I and II have been completed by Emmerich and ID4 co-writer Dean Devlin and have been passed to WHITE HOUSE DOWN screenwriter James Vanderbilt for a rewrite.
I wouldn’t mind a return to the world of INDEPENDENCE DAY so let’s hope they get these films in front of the camera soon.