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Fox Interested in Back-to-Back 'Independence Day' Sequels Yet Again?

by Ethan Anderton
October 27, 2011
Source: Vulture

It's been fifteen years since most of the world was devastated by an alien attack in Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich's summer blockbuster Independence Day, and the last update from the latter filmmaker was pretty bleak on the potential for a sequel anytime soon. As far back as March of 2010, the idea of back-to-back sequels wasn't out of the question, but apparently star Will Smith wanted quite a lot of money for the sequels. Since then it's been assumed that the sequels were dead, but now it sounds like Fox is willing to make them whether or not Smith actually decides to partake in another close encounter or not.

The hold-up awhile back was Smith's desired $50 million deal to shoot both sequels back-to-back, along with Emmerich's supposedly hefty salary, just seemed to salty of a pricetag for more Independence Day action. However, it doesn't sound like getting Smith involved this time is going to be much easier since Vulture says he apparently wants to shoot the films closer to home in order to spend as much time with his family as possible. What might help that proviso though is that Smith apparently wants his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and daughter Willow to partake in the sequels somehow too. Frankly, I don't think his family needs to be involved in all his projects from now on, but if his collaboration with son Jaden on M. Night Shyamalan's One Thousand A.E. works out, it shouldn't be an issue.

Though nothing on that front has been worked out to make any this happen, there are still a couple of scripts in the works which are expected to be turned in sometime in December at the latest. Supposedly the films are "intended to be fulfilling movies onto themselves — you could see each separately and enjoy them — but they tell one big story.” Fortunately, there's no rush to get the sequels together as Fox wants to make sure they get the story right and hopefully get a big box office draw like Smith to sign-off before making any real moves towards production. But if Smith, who made five films between 2005 and 2008 which grossed over $2 billion worldwide, ends up not coming back, will audiences still flock to the theaters for more alien action? Personally, I'm in for the sequels either way, and especially if they get Bill Pullman to deliver another rousing, inspirational speech again. Will you see Independence Day sequels without Will Smith?

Filed under Development, Movie News, Opinions

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