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Back-to-Back Independence Day Sequels, Will Smith Locked?

by Alex Billington
March 29, 2010
Source: IESB

Remember in November when we reported that there wasn't just one, but supposedly two, Independence Day sequels in the works? Well, apparently that's true. IESB has a big update from one of their sources who claims that 20th Century Fox has those two Independence Day sequels aiming shoot back-to-back with Will Smith. One of the big snags holding this sequel back over the last fourteen years has been that Will Smith wants more and more money. Word is he will now get $20 million up front as well as part of the gross to star in this, mainly because Fox is now floating in all kinds of cash thanks to Avatar's mega (financial) success.

Apparently they're using that "extra" Avatar cash to put some big new franchises in the works, including Independence Day 2 and 3. According to IESB, who is still only reporting all of this as a rumor, Will Smith is "now locked" for both movies, which could start shooting as early as 2011. This might also be Roland Emmerich's next feature after he finishes his William Shakespeare film Anonymous, therefore also delaying the Foundation Trilogy even more. Smith will also have time to still shoot Men in Black 3 (or The City That Sailed) before the sequels, so it could line-up nicely in his schedule. Fox must have some very grand ideas!

Again, since this isn't confirmed, I'm not going to go around hooting and hollering about finally getting an Independence Day sequel (two of them!), but I am going to say I'm pretty excited for this to happen. After seeing Roland Emmerich destroy the world so many times recently, I'm glad to see him getting back to his "roots" (so to say) and deliver a sequel to one of my favorite Emmerich movies ever, not to mention one of my favorite Will Smith movies ever. Plus, I can only imagine where they'll be taking the story this time and how they'll up the ante. It'll be very tough to top the original, but I'm looking forward to seeing them try!

Update: I have no clue whether to believe this or not, but Gossip Cop (ugh) says that they contacted one of Will Smith's reps who apparently told them that all of this is "not true at this time." To me that sounds like they're just denying it temporarily for the time being (and it is true), plus I don't trust a gossip site over our fellow movie blog brethren. Just wanted to let you know this "update" claiming it's false is out there, at least.

Related categories: Movie News, Opinions, Rumors

jeff

this is our independence days!
http://trailerhunter.blogspot.com HellBoy

thats awesome...lets just hope Roland Emmerich doesn't mess this up like 2012....
JP

What they're gonna set it on the fourth of July again?
Cody w

Honestly thought I wouldnt say this but Im kinda excited... there hasnt been a good alien invasion flick with nowadays SFX. I dont hope for anything good story wise when I hear Emmerich....especially after looking at 2012 as a comedy for me more than a disaster flick.
People's Champ

I thought the movie sucked, couldnt stand Will Smith at the time. Didnt see why people thought this movie was so good, but they also liked Armageddon so there you go. Smith should really pass on this. He's past this type of garbage now.
whomever

Hell yeah! These movies are going to be amazing, especially with Will Smith coming back. Please no 3-D.
Cody w

@5 at the time the FX were groundbreaking and it won an Oscar for it otherwise I didnt think people liked it for anything else.
Martin

WELCOME TO EARRFFHH! *SCHADYSCH*! Please let this become real!
Andy

hoot and holler away! black knight, fox 6!!!
peter T'Sas

Gee, who was waiting for that???
harrison

no jeff goldblum? i enjoyed the first, dont know where they could go in the second and third? what do the aliens keep coming back? same plan as before
JB

I wonder what "President" Bill Pullman is up to in the sequels? I wonder if Vivica A. Fox had to go back to stripping and is still rocking that body? There definitely better be some sort of Randy Quaid memorial out there somewhere too, "In the words of my generation, Up YOURRRS!" What does that even mean? Shouldn't he have said "species" or something instead of "generation?" Whatever, Roland Emmerich is ridiculous, but should be entertaining I guess.
AC

now all we need is bad boys 3, and i will be humbled. EAGLE 1 FOX 2!! IN THE WORDS OF MY GENERATION...UP YOOOOOUUUURRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
tra la la la la di da

oh man oh man! This could be the greatest thing ever or it just a huge flop. I'm hoping for the first!!! w00t w00t! THe book that came out afterwards was great with a nice story but the written word generally is better than the movie. Never the less, cannot wait!
WB Exec

# 5 What is your problem, at the time it was the quickest movie to make 100 million at the box office (4days). The movie was ground breaking and smith was good in it. I am looking forward to it, but hate that Fox is just throwing money around now. But then again it is Fox and what will they have when the Avatar Cash runs out. LOL Let me guess your the type that No Country for Old Men was a masterpiece? If it was can someone explain the ending to me because it made no sense.
harm

As long as they bring back Jeff Goldblum and Adam Baldwin to hang with Will Smith its all good.
dRailer

I'll take sci-fi like District 9 over this kind of poop. Agreed with #5's post.
Nada Nuff

Ehhhhhhh....................not too excited. Show me a trailer and we'll talk again.
DEADPOOL 72

its gonna look fantastic like 2012,but will it be as good as district 9. i doubt it,i'd rather see a sequel to district 9.
Cody w

@15 Evil triumphed over good for once and he killed his wife cause he was a psycho and he gave the dude his word......as for TLJ ranting on about some kid in the rain, no, it made no fucking sense. I thought it was a masterpiece until the last 20 minutes where basically nothing was tied off. But I cant believe you guys are forgetting the telegraphs from IPD....with morse code...where are the wires? Telegraph poles are across the ocean to every country now for alien invasions? I mean what the fuck?
Cody w

@15 Evil triumphed over good for once and he killed his wife cause he was a psycho and he gave the dude his word......as for TLJ ranting on about some kid in the rain, no, it made no fucking sense. I thought it was a masterpiece until the last 20 minutes where basically nothing was tied off. But I cant believe you guys are forgetting the telegraphs from IPD....with morse code...where are the wires? Telegraph poles are across the ocean to every country now for alien invasions? I mean what the fuck? As for D9 I really hope they come back help old Wilkus out and destroy the MNU motherfuckers. Seriously body exploding weapons on a large global scale=awesome.
JMoney

umm, wasn't their entire civilization on that mother ship? i know story isn't important for a movie like this, but I think it's such a cop out when they write a script that basically says, yeah forget what we said in the last movie, there is actually more alien ships.
monal

ID4 was the ultimate "awesome when it came but now sucks" blockbuster....I remember the early superbowl trailers for it showing the whitehouse getting blown up and everyone got hyped up immediately. Looking back on it though....its one of the silliest/cheesiest summer blockbusters ever(hacking an alien computer with a powerbook??!!!)
Cody w

Whoa the double post wtf happened there? I didnt post twice.
jomba joose

Fresh Prince or not, it better be a GOOD Macguffin for a sequel, let alone back-to-back ones... we never saw ground troops, but the movie kinda ties a bow on itself at the end. (?)
People's Champ

@5 No I didnt care for No Country that much, but it was way better than ID4. I'm not going to spell out the ending, guess that's why you enjoy these types of movies. I could care less how much a movie does or how quick.
Vold

Definately looking forward to this.
Kevin

Dear god why?! The first one wasn't bad enough?
Xerxex

Who keeps giving Ronald Emmerich work? 2012 was a diaster in itself. That is what the mayans warned us about.
slopshoe smith

you gotta be shittin' me??? ID was a special effects showcase but an absolute JOKE as a story...f*uck Smith....he wasnt that good anyway....spend that money on something GOOD!!!
Crump's Brother

^^^ Learn to spell Asshole Find a new name by the way, thats been wore out for years. Homey!
Cody w

Lol @31....enough said.
ImaginaryVisionary

ID4 was the first movie I ever went to see twice. I was in high school at the time and ended up seeing it 5 times before it came on video. It's not a great movie, but its up there in my all time favorite movies list simply because no matter how many times i see this movie I can always sit through it again. It's mindless entertainment at its best!! While I enjoy a good thought provoking movie I think cheesy movies like this have their place in Hollywood. Right now Transformers is filling that hole, and in a few years we'll look back at those movies and talk about how cheesy they are (some of us are willing to admit that now!). And if you really think about it....Avatar really isn't that far removed from a film like Independence Day. I'm not saying Emmerich is a path maker by any means, but the story in Avatar isn't that much stronger than ID4. I'll admit Avatar is light years removed from ID4, but If a man can hold his breath for an entire mech suit fight scene while still not having to deal with the physical complications from air pressure....I think it's alright if Jeff Goldblum hacks an alien craft with a Macbook for the sake of moving the story along so they can blow more stuff up! If this happens, the 15 year old inside of me will crap his pants when that first preview airs, and 3D or not I'll be there to see ID...5?
Loser

The original was crap and I wont see the sequels. Hope you guys will enjoy it.
anon

The way I see it, there's room for all kinds of films out there. That's the beauty of film, all kinds of stories can be told, from the sublime to the trashily entertaining. I still remember being what, 18 i think? and lining up to see ID4 and having a blast! Sure, a few years later seeing it again you realize, yeah the story is garbage and it's so full of holes in plot and logic that it's in the 'so bad it's fun' category. No, not the 'so bad is good' category but the 'so bad its fun', that's a different one. That's part of the fun of films like this, they're cheesy and bad but they are a fun collective experience and they have their place. Just like when sometimes you want to have a nice hearty, fulfilling meal and sometimes you just crave a big mac. You know you're eating garbage but you enjoy it while it lasts. And as far where they could go with the story? Well the obvious thing would be that the aliens return for vengeance and the humans are now prepared having obtained alien technology. No big surprises there. Obviously if they're going for the trilogy, and are planning to film and release both films back to back, then they'll end the second one on a cliffhanger where there seems to be no hope, and the third one is the final act where the humans win. In film and in any kind of narrative, it's not so much about your story, it's about how you tell it. I hope its gonna be fun. Am I expecting a Fillet Mignon from these films? Not in a million years. Am I expecting a Big Mac? Yes. In all it's grease soaked, cheesy, heart stopping glory!
http://musicofthebalkans.com/category/greekmusic/ greek music fan

Oh no, do NOT go ruining one of my favorite films of that era ! Just go with Men in Black 3, you already have a second, come on, hush hush, make more puppies for MIB, you can’t stop at 2, what a number is that …