A potential sequel for the sci-fi action Independence Day (ID4) seems to be moving forward, slowly but surely.
Yes, it’s been a while, as ID4 came out back in 1996. And yes, it’s quite odd there hasn’t been at least one sequel already, but the ID4 team of Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin couldn’t come up with a sequel idea they liked.
Devlin and Emmerich also went their separate ways as filmmakers, but apparently are willing to reunite for another ID4 if it indeed comes to pass.
As you probably also could have guessed by now, there are two sequels in the works to be titled ID Forever Part One, and of course, ID Forever Part Two.
As The Hollywood Reporter notes, this is the first time Devlin and Emmerich have worked together in over a decade, and as for why they’re finally working on another ID4 after all these years, Devlin said, “Creatively, for the very first time since we did the original, I feel we have a worthy concept, a worthy path to go…we still wanted to honor the first one. The first one gave us all careers. We only wanted to do it when we had an idea and a concept that creatively felt like it honored the first one.”
According to reports on Total Film and Bleeding Cool, Devlin recently said, “Roland and I sat down and watched the original. The thing that really hit me about the movie is how much love there is in it: between the characters; that the filmmakers had making it; that the cast had for each other. As we’re approaching a sequel, we’re focusing on that aspect of it. Because I think that was really the key as to why it worked for everyone. It was lovable.”
Still, the real big question is can they get the original cast back for the sequels. Will Smith reportedly wants $50 million to do both films, and as reported on Bleeding Cool, Devlin said there’s a “tough battle” between the studio, Fox, and the actors in trying to get all this together.
The first ID4 was a relatively low budget film that had a little precedent with Devlin and Emmerich’s previous success with Stargate, and the big event movie buzz built as the film came closer to release. These days, there’s already huge expectations to make a fortune, and for the stars to get paid a fortune, and trying to sort it all out is clearly going to be a whole new ballgame this time.
In addition, the original ID4 is being converted to 3D for next 4th of July weekend, the actual release date is July 3, 2013, and that will be a good barometer of how big an audience there should be for the sequels. Again, by the time ID4 gets re-released in 3D, it will have been some seventeen years since it first hit theaters in ’96.
