Last fall, Ronald Emmerich kicked us news that not only did he still have plans for an "Independence Day" sequel, but that he had ideas for two sequels, and LOL-worthy titles for each: "ID4-ever: Part I" and "ID4-ever: Part II."
When we checked in with the director in February of this year as he was promoting the DVD for "2012," we asked for some "ID4-ever" plot details. And, much to our surprise, he delivered. Yet we haven't published Emmerich's thoughts until now. Sorry! First off, he describes the story — which would be set in the present day, over a decade after the alien invasion of the original film — as an "alternate reality" film.
"It's an alternate reality kind of movie," he said. "We pick up the story, what would have happened after this kind of attack? Naturally, the alien technology has changed everything."
Did they rebuild the White House? Who will be president?
"Or, who will be president?" Emmerich answered. "Who will be president? See?"
He'd just dropped us a non-too-subtle clue with that drawn out "will," and the implication was clear: Will Smith, the fighter jet-flying hero of the 1996 film, at some point became commander-in-chief after the attacks. Whether he remains Mr. President during the course of the sequels or is eventually elected during the new films is an open question.
Now to Bill Pullman, the president during the events of the first flick. While at the Toronto Film Festival to promote the indie "Rio Sex Comedy," Pullman chatted with MTV's Josh Horowitz about the "Independence Day" sequels and expressed skepticism that the movies would actually ever shift into production.
"It would be a challenge, just creatively with the studio, how much money it would take to make it, whether Will would come and do it and what the story would be," he said.
Yet Pullman was clearly tickled that Emmerich continues to work on the project, and suggested that perhaps the director could actually make the films a reality.
"Isn't that beautiful? He is one guy who may be able to pull it off. He doesn't let it die. And people seem to want to hear that it's gonna be done," he said, adding, "There's a twinkle in his eye when he talks about it."
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