EXCLUSIVE: After spending several years looking to generate a sequel or two to the 1996 Fox smash hit Independence Day, it looks like director Roland Emmerich and co-writer and producer Dean Devlin are going to have to take on those Earth-leveling aliens without Will Smith. I’m told reliably that Smith informed the studio that he won’t be joining in on a sequel that the filmmakers hope to have in theaters for July 4 weekend, 2016. That marks the 20th anniversary of the 1996 original that grossed $811 million worldwide and launched Smith on a trajectory to become the world’s most bankable movie star.
Now, this doesn’t mean that the ID4 sequel can’t happen. In fact, Fox is very keen to see it through and what studio wouldn’t want another installment of such a big movie? When Emmerich and Devlin wrote the first draft before handing it over to The Amazing Spider-Man scribe James Vanderbilt, they hatched two distinctly different versions of the movie. Vanderbilt has been working on two separate scripts. One has Smith as the centerpiece, and the other takes the battle to the aliens without his cocky hero fighter pilot Captain Steven Hiller. I don’t believe that Smith has had the final conversation yet with Emmerich, but that will likely happen shortly. I was told not to set this in stone, because Smith has been back and forth before on whether to make the movie, though I hear he is pretty much decided.
Smith, who next stars with The Wolf Of Wall Street‘s Margot Robbie in the grifter tale Focus for Warner Bros, is also not expected to reprise his role as Jay in the next Men In Black, as Sony Pictures works on a reboot of that franchise. On that one, it has been incredibly difficult for the studio to make any money despite high ticket sales because of the gross paid to all the high priced principals on the film.
Good call! Keep making quality pics like After Earth.
What happened? Couldn’t pressure the studio to create a seminal role for your spawn Jaden?
Nice one. He probably pitched his entire family for the film, and every one of them had a key role in defeating the aliens.
Snooze. Who cares about a sequel to Independence Day? Any movies in the 80s or 70s they want to make sequels to? No one cares.
Independence day was made in the 90s. When bashing a movie at least get the year right…
he was very obviously pointing out that it was a newer movie. that was his entire point that it was from the ’90s.
When bashing a comment, at least get your logic right…
Yeah, you’re right! I bet those new Star Wars movies from Disney won’t make a dime either!
Producer’s/Writer’s make Big Willie the President 20 years later since he was a soldier. Make his wife flotus a powerhouse former agent and boom! Will Smith signs on…..I HOPE!!! Pweeeeeese Will…..
Fuck yes!
Finally a moron turning down a sequel. This moron should be doing real films not amusement park garbage like avatar. Okay will your house is big enough. All the money in the world aint buying that kid a personality. Kid is DOA. But you big willy. Start acting again. Please.
I hope he changes his mind. It’s his most popular character and what put him on the international map. Yes, more popular than MIB and Bad Boys. Seriously what did Devlin and Emmerich do to alienate him, did they hit on him. lol This would have put Will Smith back on top of the blockbusters, his agents and management need to give him a serious talking to.
I hope he changes his mind. If not then Chris Tucker has charisma equal to his, he’s more funny and he got jacked for the last Rush Hour movies. Kevin Heart is making his way up. Godzilla sucked because they didn’t have a cool black cast member to bring the ethnic diversity, that the Fast and Furious movies are now known for.
Right, Larry. Godzilla’s only flaw was not having a cool black cast member, and not the fact that it was one of the biggest pieces of s*** that Hollywood’s ever pushed out.
Maria Pitillo is still at the pinical of bad acting for that movie.
what the fuck is this comment? are you unstable?
Less movie = better Will.
Nobody the fuck wants to see anymore garbage
STOP with the garbage Brian Hartstein.
It’s great you pointing out how the last Fast movie made $800 million. The problem is that a lot of my agent brothers are racists that like to arrogantly promote casts that look like the Nazi army. They are to stupid to consider the box office that more ethnic actors bring. When I go to a club I see several ethnic people and it’s now the same across the country. Those people like paying for tickets to see those of simular races. But, if some of my racist agent friends had complete power then a car racing movie would have an all white cast and make less than a $100 million. They are self destructive and are about racism before profit.
That comment is pathetic and strangely racist.
What a bullshit article. Someone told you? When the studio, director, rep or Smith himself actually comments on this subject then you can write a meaningful article. This is report is nothing.
You do know how journalism works, right? Reporters have these things called sources. The sources give the reporter some hot information. The reporter then breaks that story. Fleming has been a showbiz journalist for over 20 years. The “someone” who told him is probably close to the action. Should the media and readers just wait for the official press release?
He will eventually decide to do this it’s a surefire blockbuster and he needs a big hit like this to regain his lost movie star status. After Earth was terrible and what else does he have going? Bad Boys 3?
Larry, just say you want to see a “a funny black guy” in ID4 and have a seat. cause your logic is fucked. go back to your Mom’s couch and keep watching Rush Hour 3.
We don’t need Will Smith if Jeff Goldblum comes back. It’d be a real shame if they made a sequel without at least ONE of the two people who blew up the alien ship at the end. Seriously. They’re the only two men alive who have seen the inside of an alien space ship and lived to tell the tale. Without one or the other, there’s no connective tissue between the old threat and the new one. It wouldn’t so much be a sequel as it would be a reboot.
Tough spot for him. ID4 will probably be big; of course, he could hold out for a pursuit of happiness type film or one like Hitch. Even something like enemy of the state, which he was terrific in. He has the $$ to hold out, so if I were repping him, I would tell him to hold out and roll the dice. There will always be big tentpole cgi movies for him, even if he is getting a tad older !!!!! Follow Denzel’s lead buddy.
Less Will = better movie.
Thanks, Will!
Its a shame that he wont be in the sequel, Since Independence Day was the movie that put him on the Map.
Soooooooooooo, what should Will be doing then? Between trying to chase “prestige” picks like Leo does and getting his kids into movies, his career’s starting to slide into the abyss.
The problem became shockingly apparent when After Earth tanked. (Yes it was a very bad movie, but Will’s name should have at least drawn some people.)
No ID4 2, no MIB 4. (And who here was holding their breath for Hancock 2?)
Very big mistake. He needs to do this. He’s now going the way of Arnold and Keanu.
Having that jackass Franklin Leonard working for Overbrook IS NOT HELPING AT ALL. Jesus, how the fuck did this idiot get into the industry to begin with? What HAS HE WRITTEN? WHAT HAS HE PRODUCED?
Totally agree. Will should do this movie and spend less time trying to pimp his kids out. If Tom Cruise can continue to be a consistent hit maker, so can Will. That is, assuming Will still wants to make hits.
Tom Cruise has the charisma and screen presence to continue banging out hits. Will Smith seems too focused on his children.
For someone who cares so much about Franklin I’m surprised you don’t know he hasn’t worked at Overbrook for at least two years. And why should Franklin have written anything, given he does not claim to be a writer?
Shall we just assume this commenter got a low score on the black list site? Yup, that’s it.
Oh no, one of Hollywood’s most overrated actors won’t be staring in one of its crappiest blockbusters. Whatever shall we do?
1+ all
Fuck yeah
Will needs a hit. It’s been awhile.
MIB4 made over $600M in 2012.
YEAH- best news of the week He would want his untalented family to be aliens I’m sure
Everyone is chiming in, “Will should do this. Will should do that.” The truth is Will should do whatever he wants. He’s an incredible talent and extremely entertaining. I do love Mike Lowery though. Bad Boys brings the noise. That’s a hit waiting to be made.
I wonder if the epic failure of After Earth made him rethink sci-fi? And I wish he would stop pushing his children on us before they are ready. His son would’ve never been cast with those acting skills if he wasn’t Smith’s son.
Some of the commenters here are probably right: Smith refused to be involved in ID2 unless his family was cast in key roles. Smith was always a big-ego guy, but when he was younger it was tolerable. Now, with him pushing his family on the movie-going public, his big ego and holier than though attitude has really become a big turn off. I honestly used to be a big Will Smith fan. Now…not so much.
Will is full of BS, they never ask him so he claim he turn them down, Mr Smith his history and he knows that his career is done? Go back to being the “Prince of Belair, you idiot???
In my opinion, two things might have happened:
– either it was a bad script and he asked them to make it better
– or the studio is hellbent on making money and don’t care what’s in it.
We do not know, but honestly especially after “after earth” I’d think that will is just nervous about taking on another sci fi movie with a poor script. If it was up to me the script would centered around this idea:
The aliens are gone however the real threat now are corporations who have now been using the same alien technology to ruin humans, income inequality, rule over them, performing all sort of tests in the name of profit (not unlike fox with this movie lol). So that the will smith will see that the opposite of how the first movie ended will be happening, nation unity destroyed over corporate greed and reach beyond frontiers. But in the end they will be a twist, that is behind this corporate power grab, could we see the same aliens basically using us to make a comeback?
Now id say if they made that will smith would return .
Hopefully, this talentless hack’s star has burned out. His ego trashed him long before his box-office did.
Yeah. He probably couldn’t grt a deal for his kid. The kid doesn’t have what his father has. Never will.
Whaaat? This guy will do anything for money, but won’t do this? Fans obviously want him in this.
Anyone who has been following the ID4 sequel, knows that Mr. Smith asked for a $50 million payday to reprise his role. That is greedy, but he knows that any sequel would make a ton of money at the box office. The studio does not want to pay him that kind of money! They would rather find a cheaper actor and a different character to be the main hero. It was even suggested that his son in the movie be the new hero. He was just a little boy in ID4, and now 20 years later, he would be a grown up who possibly followed in his fathers shoes by being a pilot in the military. Anyone can google the story about Will Smith wanting $50 million dollars to do the ID4 sequel, if you don’t believe me.