Will Smith not returning to celebrate Independence Day in sequel

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

Last week we hit you with the news that Fox is looking to welcome aliens to Earth in 2015 as they have officially announced a release date for INDEPENDENCE DAY 2, the sequel to Roland Emmerich's ridiculously awesome 1996 box-office hit, giving the film a July 3rd, 2015 release with Emmerich returning to direct. Now The New York Daily News is sharing that the star of the original film will not be joining Emmerich for this second go-around with the alien invaders.

While promoting his latest film WHITE HOUSE DOWN, INDEPENDENCE DAY director Roland Emmerich said mega-star Will Smith won't be returning in the sequel, stating…

"Will Smith can not come back because he's too expensive, but he'd also be too much of a marquee name. It would be too much."

INDEPENDENCE DAY was one of the movies that made Smith a star, and Emmerich once said a sequel wouldn't happen unless Smith was on board, but apparently things have changed.

Emmerich went on to state that, although we won't be seeing Big Willie participating, we may be seeing some familiar faces in the sequel.

"We have like maybe half of the people that you know would know from the first film (in the script) and the other half people who are new."

Just please bring back Jeff Goldblum! That's all I ask.

We'll keep you posted on news regarding INDEPENDENCE DAY 2 as we hear it.