Will Smith Demands $50M for 'Independence Day' Sequels With Jada and Willow?
Hollywood A-lister Will Smith is reportedly demanding $50 million to put out two "Independence Day" sequels, various media sources are reporting.
Not only is the star making a hefty cash demand to resume his role of Capt. Steven Hiller, according to Clutch.com, but he is also demanding that his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and 10-year-old daughter Willow be added to the cast.
"It's complicated because of where and how [Smith] wants to shoot; he wants to be close to home, to the kids," an unnamed source told NYmag.com's Vulture Blog.
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"There's also been talks about him wanting to include Jada and maybe even Willow in the movie, too. [Sony] just managed to get through the mire that was 'Men in Black 3,' and so they're just trying to avoid anything remotely similar. They want the story straight, and want Will to sign off on it, totally, before they proceed."
According to the blog, Fox began negotiations to sign Smith back in 2009, but after discovering Smith's large asking price, all involved parties decided to put the matter aside for a period of time to focus their energy into the scripts, so no negotiations have yet been made. However, the scripts are scheduled to be finished and delivered to Fox by December, so decisions about how to proceed need to be made soon.
"Insiders tell us that Fox is willing to make the movies without Smith, if necessary, but he is what helps make the films a sure thing: Can the stuck-in-neutral movie business, let alone Fox, afford to lose him?" asked blog author Claude Brodesser-Akner.
Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith have been making headlines for the past few months because of rumors that the couple was splitting up, which both individuals have strongly denied. Just recently, new allegations surfaced that the divorce rumors were started by Smith and his wife themselves as a ploy to bolster the ratings of Jada's failing show, "Hawthorne," which was canceled by TNT shortly after the rumors began.
Star magazine reported that not only may the rumors have been started because of "Hawthorne," but also because "Jada's been complaining that she and Will are starting to look like the Brady Bunch, with all the kids stepping into the spotlight," and that she feels the public views her relationship with Will as "too family-friendly" and "too boring."
