Thursday, September 5, 2013

Hot News: Will Smith Is Back in Talks to Star in Independence Day 2


Will Smith wants to return for Independence Day sequel

A sequel to the 1996 sci-fi blockbuster Independence Day has long been in the planning stages, and as it stands now, we will be getting two back-to-back follow-ups with ID Forever - Part 1 and ID Forever - Part 2, the first of which, as far as we can tell, is still being planned for a 2015 release. Though, that may change, pushing the release date of that first chapter to 2016.

In June, while out promoting his latest thriller White House Down, director Roland Emmerich revealed original cast member Will Smith was not returning, saying that the actor was too big of a star, and that they could not meet the actor's demands.

"Will Smith can not 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 of the people that you know from the first film (in the script) and the other half of the people who are new."

The director is out once again, now promoting White House Down in foreign markets, and it seems he's changed his tune on Will Smith returning to the franchise, claiming that the actor now wants to come back and that talks are being planned. This is what he had to say to Digital Spy.

"I sometimes say no, Will Smith will not be in it because he didn't want to do it at first. Now we have a meeting planned, we want to talk about it again. Anything can happen."

The director went onto talk about the challenges of putting ID Forever - Part 1 and ID Forever - Part 2 together, revealing that while a 2015 release date was announced, we might not see these sequels until 2016.

"It is changing every month, because putting together a sequel of this magnitude is an enormous undertaking. I am sure we will make it, either for 2015, or 16. Right now, as it looks...Probably 16."

In the weeks leading up to the release of Will Smith's doomed flop After Earth, the actor had this to say about returning to star in another blockbuster.

"I think I'm going to start moving out of that and finding more danger in my artistic choices."

Made for $ 130 million, After Earth was a domestic disaster, bringing in only $ 60.5 million at the box office. It has since gone onto earn $ 183 in foreign territories, for a total of $ 243 million worldwide. Not a total loss, but it certainly tarnished Will Smith's name as the king of the summer blockbuster. It's possible that he now wants to return for ID Forever - Part 1 and ID Forever - Part 2 to restore some of that former glory. It's also possible that after he failed to open this sci-fi stinker, his asking price has been lowered.

Will Will Smith return to claim his crown as the King of summer? Or are his 90s glory days a thing of the past? Do any of you even care about a sequel to Independence Day twenty years after the fact? Should this just be a reboot? Let us know what you think.

Independence Day was released July 3rd, 1996 and stars Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Robert Loggia, Randy Quaid, Margaret Colin. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich.

ID Forever - Part 1 comes to theaters July 3rd, 2015 and stars Will Smith. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich.

ID Forever - Part 2 is in development and stars Will Smith. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich.

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