A sequel to 1996's blockbuster sci-fi film
Independence Day has been in development for years, with the possibility of two to form a trilogy. Last year, it was revealed that there will be a two-part follow-up to the original film, with the working titles
ID Forever Part 1 and
ID Forever Part 2 being planned. Now, speaking with
Entertainment Weekly, director Roland Emmerich confirms that he is is developing the two sequels, which were written by him and Dean Devlin.
White House Down and
The Amazing Spider-Man scribe James Vanderbilt is rewriting. The movies will take place 20 years after the first film,
" when a distress call sent by the first wave of aliens finally brings reinforcements to Earth." "The humans knew that one day the aliens would come back," says Emmerich.
"And they know that the only way you can really travel in space is through wormholes. So for the aliens, it could take two or three weeks, but for us that’s 20 or 25 years." He also says that the world of
ID Forever will be changed, and he is working with an art department staff to shape its look.
It’s a changed world. It’s like parallel history. [Humans] have harnessed all this alien technology. We don’t know how to duplicate it because it’s organically-grown technology, but we know how to take an antigravity device and put it in a human airplane."
One question on everyone's mind is, will we see Will Smith return? While some familiar faces will return (including Bill Pullman), Smith hasn't committed to the sequels. The storylines will focus on a new generation of human heroes, which include Steven Hiller's (Smith) stepson, who was played by Ross Bagley in the first
Independence Day.
"It’s still some of the same characters, but also new younger characters; it’s a little bit like the sons take over," says Emmerich.
Part 1 sequel will feature a cliffhanger ending, in order to have audiences return.
"The first one ends on a little success, but only enough to give the humans hope. And then in the second one they free themselves again [from the aliens]." Finally, Emmerich says that the aliens will "do different things", and "we've rebuilt" when asked what's left for aliens to destroy. Are you excited about a two-part
Independence Day sequel?