Vivica A. Fox says that the sequel to Independence Day failed to live up to the original and that it needed Will Smith. Fox discussed the 2016 film during an interview with The A.V. Club.
“I just didn’t feel like it was good and lived up to the first one,” Fox told the outlet. “I really feel we missed out by not bringing Will Smith [back]. We got most of the original cast but I think the one true link that was missing to the success of Independence Day 2 was that we missed that Will Smith wasn’t there.”
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Will Smith With Vivica A. Fox
Fox added that Smith's absence made her nervous about “how the fans are going to feel.” She added: “And sure enough on Twitter, they blew me up." At the time, Smith cited scheduling conflicts as the reason he couldn't appear in Independence Day: Resurgence. In addition to Fox, original cast members Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, and Brent Spiner all reprised their roles. Jessie T. Usher also joined the franchise to take on the role of Smith and Fox's characters' son.
“It was one of those things — I had a couple of films lined up, I had Concussion and Suicide Squad, and so it was a decision, timing-wise, between Independence Day and Suicide Squad,” Smith told BBC Radio at the time. “They were sending pictures from the set, and I was like, ahh. The world is in a place of nostalgia right now. Specifically in entertainment, there’s such a pull for nostalgia, so it was just the perfect opportunity and it didn’t work out.”
The first Independence Day made over $817 million in ticket sales worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 1996. Its sequel, by comparison, fell far short, earning only $389 million worldwide against a $165 million production budget.
[Via]
