Independence Day had Bill Pullman’s President Thomas J. Whitmore around to rally humanity and fight the aliens. But unless the universe in which the film takes place has very different rules governing US presidents, he can’t still be the leader of the free world 20 years later. And indeed it’s true – Sela Ward will be President Lanford in **Independence Day 2.
She’ll be the White House incumbent – we assume the place has been rebuilt since the original attack – for the story of Earth having to fend off the next wave of extra-terrestrial invasion attempts. Ward is one of the new faces for the franchise, joining the likes of Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jessie Usher, Travis Tope and Joey King, alongside returning cast members Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch and Brent Spiner.
Emmerich has been developing this one for a while now, working on the latest script draft alongside Carter Blanchard, James A. Woods and Nicholas Wright, with assistance from producer Dean Devlin. The cameras should be cranking this month ready for a planned June 24, 2016 release date.