Independence Day 2, the sequel to Will Smith's most successful film at the box office, is gearing up for a big return but without Smith in a leading role. Reports are claiming that Jessie Usher is stepping up to replace Smith as the leading man, and as his son.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the son of Smith's character will play a central role in the film though it is not entirely sure what that role is. It is also not certain if Smith's character is alive or dead, though we are going with alive because should there be another Independence Day film after this one, Smith might choose to return.
Liam Hemsworth, the brother of Thor actor Chris Hemsworth and one of the lead characters in The Hunger Games, will also play a significant role in the movie.
For those who are unaware, Independence Day 2 will be released on June 24, 2016, which is almost 20 years since the release of the first film. Independence Day was released on July 4, 1996, and went on to earn over $800 million at the box office as it helped push Smith into stardom.
An article published by Forbes made the point of why Smith was wise to turn down the offer to star in Independence Day 2 after the massive flop that was After Earth. The author claims it would have done no good for Smith -- well, apart from earning him more money.
Should the film flop at the box office, Smith stands to lose more than Fox. However, should Independence Day 2 become successful, it probably still wouldn't help the actor that much.
The author states that Smith is Hollywood's biggest star, although we are not sure we can agree with him. What we can say is that Smith is Hollywood's most major '90s star because, after more than 20 years on the job, the actor is still capable of bringing in the numbers at the box office.
Furthermore, 20th Century Fox had an Independence Day 2 script with Will Smith in mind and another should he choose to turn down the offer. We're guessing the casting choices here have to do with the studio having to go with the latter.
Being on top won't last forever, but that doesn't mean Smith should make the most of it and become reckless.
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