Way back in the summer of 1996, director Roland Emmerich’s alien invasion adventure Independence Day became the year’s runaway smash hit, earning more than $800 million worldwide against a production budget of just $75 million. With that level of success, it’s surprising then that a sequel has taken so long to finally materialize.
However, Independence Day: Resurgence is now well on its way — with much of the original film’s cast back onboard, minus one notable exception — and ready to hit theaters just in time for the original’s 20th anniversary next summer. Before it does, it sounds like fans will get a chance to find out what has been happening in that world before the sequel comes around.
According to THR, Titan Comics in launching a new comic book series that will serve as a prequel to Independence Day: Resurgence. Although the title has not been announced just yet, the publisher is calling it a “rich psychological prison drama” that bridges the gap between the first film and its follow-up. The comic will be “taking the mythos of the original and maybe adding a little darkness to it,” according to editor Steve White. No further details, such as the creative team or an anticipated release date, have been revealed, though presumably it will be timed to match the start of Independence Day: Resurgence‘s theatrical run.
Of course, at this point comic book tie-ins to fan-favorite films, television series and video games are nothing new. In fact, Titan itself has a number of such projects on its slate, including titles based on Doctor Who, Assassin’s Creed and Heroes Reborn. Still, the Independence Day: Resurgence comic book offers a unique opportunity to reintegrate fans into a world we haven’t visited since the first film ended with humanity’s defeats of its alien invaders.
The sequel will reportedly pick up many years later, and considering how many new faces will be joining the familiar ones in the new story, it makes sense to take advantage of other media to set the stage, especially since we know the new film will be dramatically developing the alien mythology. Exactly how the comic’s “prison drama” fits within the films’ is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear that, if Independence Day: Resurgence is able to capitalize on 1990s nostalgia as well as Jurassic World, fans can likely expect way more tie-in projects like this one in the near future.
NEXT: Independence Day 2 New Character Details
Independence Day: Resurgence hits theaters on June 24th, 2016.
