There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that a new Independence Day movie is on the way! The bad news is that Will Smith will not be in it. As you recall back in 2015 (ahem, in December), the Independence Day: Resurgence trailer dropped and caused uproar on the Internet as movie fans were thrilled (or possibly, upset) that a sequel of the beloved 90s blockbuster is on the way. Of course, there were many wondering why Will Smith was not included in the trailer. The truth eventually came out, revealing that Captain Steve Hiller would not be returning to fight in the second alien invasion.
To explain Smith’s absence from Independence Day 2, 20th Century Fox created a neat little site called Warof1996.com that documents the history of Earth following the infamous alien invasion. As stated in the trailer, humanity has spent twenty years prepping for the return of the aliens with an increased focus on developing alien technology and shoring up global security. Unfortunately for Will Smith’s Steven Hiller, that dedication to mastering alien tech led to his untimely demise in the Independence Day universe.
Smith finally spoke out about his character’s death in Independence Day 2, simply stating, “It was terrible when I found out my character died.” Smith’s blunt thought was taken from a Yahoo interview, in which Smith mostly discusses his latest movie, Concussion. Though the statement is brief, it’s likely that Smith really does mourn the loss of his character. After all, it was Captain Hiller that made Will Smith a genuine household name not only around America, but the world.
It’s strange that Smith would turn down Independence Day: Resurgence considering the amount of popularity and money it earned him. The first installment took Smith from a moderately famous rapper and television actor to a bonafide movie star. If I had to guess, I would say that at this point in his career, Smith has probably made enough money to last him multiple lifetimes. Yet for all of that Hollywood success, Smith has yet to land the industry’s top prize - an Academy Award. Smith is probably keen on focusing on roles that could land him an Oscar, evidenced by his recent foray into serious drama with Concussion.
Independence Day: Resurgence opens in theaters on June 24. What do you about Will Smith’s absence in Independence Day 2? Let us know in the comment section below!
