The sequel to Independence Day was green-lit back in December, and now the first pieces of casting news have started to roll in, with Jeff Goldblum confirmed to reprise his role from the 1996 film and two new actors joining the cast.
Filmmaker Roland Emmerich,who directed the first film and will do the same for the sequel, announced the casting of all three actors via Twitter.
Excited to Officially announce @LiamHemsworth and #JeffGoldblum as the next two pieces of the #IndependenceDay sequel pic.twitter.com/GNuvffKWI3
— Roland Emmerich (@rolandemmerich) March 4, 2015
The announcement regarding Goldblum’s return as satellite technician David Levinson and the addition of The Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth was posted just after Emmerich revealed that Survivor’s Remorse actor Jessie Usher will also have a featured role in the film. Hemsworth will reportedly play the son-in-law of former U.S. President Thomas J. Whitmore, the character Bill Pullman played in the original film. Pullman is also expected to appear in the sequel.
Similarly, The Hollywood Reporter indicates that Usher will play Dylan Hiller, the son of Will Smith’s character in the first film (originally played by Ross Bagley). Smith is not expected to reprise his role as Captain Steven Hiller.
Excited to officially announce that Jessie Usher will be joining the cast for the sequel of #IndependenceDay ! http://t.co/rrVWwzQBUD RT
— Roland Emmerich (@rolandemmerich) March 4, 2015
The sequel to Independence Day is scheduled to hit theaters June 24, 2016, after initially being scheduled for a July premiere. The sequel’s arrival in theaters will occur almost exactly 20 years since the original had audiences crowding into theaters to the tune of more than $817 million in box-office earnings worldwide.
Little is known about the sequel’s plot at this point, but with production expected to begin soon, we’ll likely know more in the near future.
