Roland Emmerich talks ID4 2

Posted on October 13, 2009
Filed Under Actors, News, Sequel

The friendly people over at Latino Review recently had the chance to speak with director/producer Roland Emmerich about the possibility of a sequel to 1996’s “Independence Day“. (Yes, the one with the alien invasion and Will Smith.) Over the years producer/writer Dean Devlin has been very coy about not saying a word regarding a film that grossed over $800 million worldwide.

Back in 2004 Devlin and Roland Emmerich began writing an outline for a script but in the end it didn’t work out. In 2008, 20th Century Fox Tom Rothman said this about “ID4 2″;

“We would love to do it, it’s really a matter of Roland, it’s up to Roland. He knows that we’d love to do it. I don’t think there is a script but there have been a lot of ideas, but the truth of the matter is he’s been making other films. He made “Day After Tomorrow” for us, big hit movie, he’s doing “2012” for Sony. But, any day that Roland wanted to do that, we would be very excited to do it because I think, yes, that story definitely can and should continue.”

So now, here’s finally what Emmerich had to say when asked about the sequel:

“Dean Devlin and I are still set to make a sequel likely because we’ve found some sort of idea and we approached FOX and FOX has not quite figured out how to incorporate Dean’s and my deal, and Will’s (Smith) deal. Will wants to do it in some sort of a package they can live with.  So it’s just been in negations now since forever, and naturally FOX says ‘Why don’t you do it without Will Smith?’ I said Will is essential for us, for this movie and actually for the audience too. And, so, it’s in limbo and lately the studios are fighting. Like gross players, and Will is a gross player and is probably the only gross player right now who’s worth his gross. So we’ll see what happens. I would love to do it.”

And when asked if there is a story ready, we got the answer we hoped for:

“Oh yeah! There’s a story. There’s a really good story, a very cool one.”

So basically it’s all about the money. As usual. But since it’s been 13 years now I wouldn’t hold my breath. But… sure… one day it will come and that will be one glorious day.

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