INDEPENDENCE DAY Parts 2 and 3 really Happening with Will Smith Attached to Star?

Remember that time late last year when we told you about how director Roland Emmerich brought up the fact that he wants to make a couple more Independence Day sequels? He said that one day they would do it, but I thought there was no way in hell Fox would move forward with it anytime soon, or that Will Smith would even be interested in returning to the franchise. But I guess that I was wrong because according to IESB, Fox is indeed making two more sequels and Will Smith is attached to star!?

I guess with the success of Avatar Fox has got some extra cash to move forward with the project. It's not like Smith is cheap to bring on a film. Smith makes $20 million up front plus first dollar gross for each film he stars in. Thats a huge investment!

According to inside sources the plan would be to shoot both films back-to-back, and if all goes according to plan, the sequel(s) could shoot as early as 2011. This means it will be Emmerich's next directing gig after after his William Shakespeare thriller Anonymous. It will also be Smith next acting gig after he either makes Men in Black 3 or The City That Sailed. 

Independence Day is a billion dollar franchise, and I think there are still enough fans out there of the original to make these next two sequels a hit for Fox. There's no doubt they will make a lot of money. Now there is no word on if the films will be in 3D or not but I think it's safe to assume that that's their plan.

There is still no solid confirmation that this is really happening so we are throwing it into the rumor bin for now, but we know that these sequels have been been discussed for some time now, and it is only a matter of time before it happens or we get official confirmation of this news. 

It should be interesting to see what the world looks like after the alien attacks from the first film, all the national monuments were destroyed! Everything had to be rebuilt. I was a big fan of the first movie, it was a film that I grew up with, but I'm indifferent about seeing a sequel made. I am not the biggest Emmerich fan these days, his movies are big special effects extravaganzas that are laughably bad. 

What do you think about the possibility of seeing two more Independence Day films hit the big screen?