'Independence Day 2' Set for 2016 Release
After almost 20 years, the sequel to "Independence Day" has been officially greenlit.
20th Century Fox has ordered a rewrite of the original script to the follow-up in addition to rescheduling the film's release date again. It was reported that Fox and Roland Emmerich were once working on more than one sequel to the hit alien invasion film, but because of issues with the script and the constant rearranging of the release date, the film was delayed.
But now, the studio has taken a serious step forward to get things rolling on the new film, which is tentatively titled "Independence Day Forever."
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According to Deadline, Fox has given the official green light for Independence Day 2 and the project will be a single sequel rather than a two-part follow-up. Production is set to begin in May 2015. The studio is also looking to secure Emmerich as the film's director, then begin casting afterwards.
Will Smith will not be returning for the sequel, but Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman will reprise their roles. In addition to Emmerich, Dean Devlin, writer and producer of the first film, helped the director write the script for the sequel and will return as producer.
Since news of the upcoming film broke, many are disappointed that Smith, the star of "Independence Day," won't be returning for the sequel.
"Will Smith cannot come back because he's too expensive, but he'd also be too much of a marquee name. It would be too much. We have like, maybe half the people that you would know from the film and the other half people who are new," Emmerich told The New York Daily News.
"Independence Day 2" is slated to premiere on June 24, 2016.
