Its been long rumored that there was an Independence Day sequel in the works. But those were just rumors. More or less those rumors were fan based or fan pleads to Fox for one. Fox on the other hand has been exploring the possibility of a sequel and has made bids in the past that an Independence Day 2 was possible. Well not only is it possible it probably will be and the rumor mill has now churned into the direction of fact. Looks like Will Smith has signed a 2 movie contract that will be shot back to back .
Source iesb.net
Exclusive: ID4 Sequel(s) May Be Closer To Happening Than Ever Before!!!IESB has received a tip that Will Smith is now locked for not only Independence Day 2, but also a third installment. The plan would be to shoot both films back-to-back. Whether the studio opts to go the Matrix route and release the two films six months apart or do like the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels and split them by a year remains to be seen. According to our sources, if all goes according to plan, the sequel(s) could shoot as early as 2011.
This comes on the heals of an exclusive interview with Roland Emmerich one of the writers with LatinoReview which had them at the negotiating side of the movie and Mr Smith not signed.
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.
It is one of those things where the actor like will Smith gets a lot of money and on some projects may be a deal killer. One of the main factors of the dragging out of a sequel to break it down. Will Smith gets $20 million up front plus first dollar gross. That right there can kill many deals. But lucky for the ID fans not today.
Now will after all these years will the movie be hit. It has gone through what I like to call the over kill stage where most everyone has seen it 20 million times. What do you think ?