Roland Emmerich's Independence Day franchise was planned as a trilogy, but in fact Independence Day 3 never got into full production. Here's why and how the full story might one day still be told.
When it comes to blockbuster franchises that have left audiences eagerly anticipating more, Independence Day is undoubtedly one that comes to mind. The first movie from 1996 is an absolute sci-fi classic, yet fans needed to wait no less than 20 years until Independence Day: Resurgence premiered in 2016. The open ending left fans wondering if Independence Day 3 will ever show up on the horizon to finish the saga.
| Independence Day Franchise: Quick Facts | |
| First release: | 1996 |
| Director: | Roland Emmerich |
| Most famous cast members: | Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Will Smith, Liam Hemsworth |
The potential for exploring the aftermath of the Resurgence events or introducing new characters who join the fight against the extraterrestrial threat would still be huge in theory. As we've learned from the sphere species in Resurgence, there's a hidden planet in the galaxy where a coalition of survivors are working on weapons to eventually defeat the hostile aliens they have been fighting for thousands of years.
This alone would open up enough potential for a third movie, taking the fight away from earth and far into the galaxy. And Roland Emmerich himself was indeed planning a trilogy – so, why did Independence Day 3 never happen?
Independence Day 3: Why The Sequel Never Happened
The answer lies in the critical and commercial reception of Independence Day: Resurgence. Director Roland Emmerich expressed interest in continuing the Independence Day saga, but besides the fact that the film not only performed poorly at the global box office, it also faced mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. This mixed reception is most likely the main factor for the hesitations from the studio to greenlight a third installment.
The likelihood of a direct third Independence Day movie has decreased further as Roland Emmerich has announced the end of his career. He has expressed a desire to make one more movie, but it's highly unlikely it will be Independence Day 3, for the reasons mentioned.
How An Independence Day Sequel Could Still Become Reality
However, the theoretical potential to either continue the Independence Day storyline directly or reboot the franchise as a television series remains, even without Roland Emmerich. This approach wouldn't actually be new for a Roland Emmerich production.
His 1994 movie Stargate laid the groundwork for the acclaimed TV series Stargate: SG1, which ran for ten seasons. This series further expanded into two additional spin-offs: Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate: Universe, along with two direct-to-DVD films that further expanded the franchise. We would actually be surprised if the Independence Day franchise would be buried forever!
How did you like Independence Day: Resurgence and how would you expect the story to continue in Independence Day 3? Let us know in the comments!