If you had told movie fans back in 1996 that a full-blown sequel to Independence Day would be having trouble getting off the ground, it would have seemed impossible. But nearly twenty years later, director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin are still hard at work getting the wheels moving on ID Forever – the first sequel in what is planned to be a potential franchise continuing the alien warfare of the original.
The exact plot or cast of the film remains unclear, but it seems that Fox and the filmmakers may be turning to a younger star to help attract more than just fans of the original. That’s if the reports prove true, and the movie’s lead role has, indeed, been offered to Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth.
That’s according to sources of TheWrap, who have no information on just how likely Hemsworth may be to attach himself to another potential franchise. Emmerich had stated in the past that the next ID would call upon a mix of new and returning characters, so Hemsworth’s offer seems to imply that the core story of the film will be centered on a newcomer (although both Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman are set to reprise their roles).
That looked to be the case once Will Smith made it clear that he wasn’t interested in being known as “the sequel guy” – although his absence turned out to come as no surprise to the studio. Were Hemsworth to accept the role, the involvement of Michael B. Jordan (soon to be seen in Fox’s Fantastic Four) may come into question. Unless, of course, the studio is looking to ensure the return of Independence Day popularity by hitching the property to two rising stars.
As for how the film will build off the previous human success story, the details have been scarce. Emmerich and Devlin have spoken about their plans to expand the mythology of the enemy aliens, with rumors that ID Forever would pick up twenty years after the events of the previous film. The decades since Earth’s victory have left humans complacent, only to have the aliens return en masse to seek vengeance (with space/time travel meaning their defeat has just taken place).
Even with that basic premise, the potential cast, action, and means of survival are still a total mystery. If an alien invasion action film carries the same box office draw these days remains to be seen, but with Will Smith out, this news shows what kind of leading man Fox is looking for to carry the torch forward.
What do you think of Hemsworth taking the lead role in Independence Day 2 and potentially 3? Does this casting direction make you more or less positive about the movie’s chances? Hopefully official word on Hemsworth’s decision will be coming soon, and we’ll keep you updated.
Independence Day 2/ID Forever is scheduled to premiere June 24th, 2016.
