One day Roland Emmerich will start making small dramas set in Kentish Town bedsits, but until his Mike Leigh period begins he’s going to continue focus on blowing up major cities in new and intriguing ways. If this new look is anything to go by, Independence Day: Resurgence will feature his most spectacular to date.
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The aliens, no longer content with using those deadly blue beams, have found a way to rain entire landmarks down on the Earth’s capitals. Is that an entire city landing on the Thames? Is there a congestion charge for that?
The first Independence Day helped Emmerich make a name for himself as a box-office-monstering ‘90s Irwin Allen, blowing up the planet and having a great time doing it. Since then, the odd Stonewall or Anonymous apart, he’s largely stuck to the formula. His latest has been bubbling around for a number of years, with two separate sequels mooted at one point, but the advances in VFX since 1996 should make it the apocalyptic spectacle of the summer.
Will Smith was busy on Suicide Squad duties for this one, but Emmerich has rounded up old ID4 hands old faces (Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Brent Spiner and Judd Hirsch) and brought in some fresh faces (Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe, Joey King, Sela Ward) for a cosmic scrap that sets Earth against invaders even more powerful than before.
Independence Day: Resurgence - which has a trailer to be found here - hits cinemas on June 24. Head here for Empire's full primer for the movie.
Don’t miss the new issue of Empire for much more on the movie, as well as the lowdown on Captain America: Civil War, Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book and a special David Bowie tribute. It’s on newsstands from February 25.