Independence Day: Resurgence to introduce new aliens, possibly set up sequels

If you’ve seen the explosive new trailer for Independence Day: Resurgence, you would be forgiven for thinking that it’s going to be nothing by wall-to-wall CG carnage. Well, it’s a Roland Emmerich movie, so that’s actually more than likely true, but there’s still a lot more going on.

For one thing, the 20-years later sequel to the 1996 Will Smith blockbuster will be expanding the movie’s universe quite a bit. Newcomer Jessie Usher, who plays Dylan Dubrow-Hiller, the son of Smith’s Captain Steven Hiller in this sequel, spoke to Movies.com about it.

“We learn quite a bit about the aliens… What else is out there? What hasn’t visited earth yet? They start to delve more into that, too.”

“What this film does do is it brings to light a lot that wasn’t really touched upon in the first film. We know there were these aliens and there was a big fight, but we were left with a lot of unanswered questions. And in this film we answer a lot of those questions.”

Co-star Maika Monroe, who plays the daughter of Bill Pullman’s former US President Thomas Whitmore from the original, added:

“And we also learn that there might be other species, too. Not just those aliens.”

And they apparently have a mommy. A really BIG pissed off mommy, as Monroe explains what she thinks will be the most impressive feature in the sequel.

“The size of the alien – our Queen alien – and just battling that. The CGI on this is absolutely insane, and I think fans are going to be really excited by that.”

Luckily for Earth and its inhabitants who has to face that Queen, there are people like Usher’s Dylan who has followed in his father’s footsteps and become a fighter pilot in the Earth Defence Force. But will we also see him follow in his father’s alien face-punching footsteps though, getting his own version of one of the most memorable scenes in Independence Day?

“I do! One that I like — and I believe it’s in the trailer — is when I get to say, ‘“It’s the fourth of July – let’s show ‘em some fireworks!”

Er… yeah, I don’t actually think that sounds as cool as punching an alien in its tentacled face and then lighting up a cigar, but to each his own, I guess.

Another character that will have the daunting task of living up to their iconic predecessor is Sela Ward’s current US President Elizabeth Lanford. Pullman’s Presidential speech from the first film is one of cinema’s greatest, so will she try and match that in Resurgence?

“No, you can’t mess with that speech. They didn’t even try — that [original speech] is so iconic. People use it all the time — at the opening of sports games and weddings, and I saw it on a Budweiser commercial recently. You can’t compete with that. But she’s really smart, strong and has a great job.”

Ward’s President Lanford is also not the same type of leader as Whitmore, as she has a very personal stake in this battle.

“It’s a completety different world that she’s operating in. She’s very strong, decisive, and not afraid to use force. All of her family were killed in the first invasion, so her whole life is about protecting and empowering her country. In this film, she really becomes the leader of the world.”

Meanwhile Usher can’t stop gushing about the film’s final epic battle, which we see pieces of in the trailer, and which apparently is going to leave some jaws on the floor.

“The battle – that entire sequence – it’s not a quick thing. It progresses and gets bigger and it’s ever-changing all the way through to the end. That entire sequence is going to be impressive, to say the least.”

Not that it’s only going to be all about making things go boom though. This is Hollywood, Land of the Franchise after all, and as Jeff Goldblum – who reprises his original role as David Levinson, now head of the EDF – explains, Resurgence may just be the start of a new story.

“I think what they have in mind is that if this well enjoyed, then they have some ideas. And there may even be an artful reference towards the end of the movie of what could [happen next]. It sets up the possibility that it’s not over – that the fat lady has not yet sung.”

Independence Day: Resurgence releases on June 24, 2016.

Last Updated: April 26, 2016