Although he was a bit flaky on it for a while, ultimately Will Smith decided against returning for Independence Day: Resurgence, even though it's the sequel to the film that made him a star. And the reasons for that decision have been all over the place, but Smith spoke to Yahoo! and revealed that it came down to a simple matter of scheduling, as he was busy with the upcoming Suicide Squad film...
“I was working on ‘Suicide Squad’ during that time,” Smith said, referring to the film’s production. “Roland [Emmerich] and I had talked about it. The trailer looks really cool. I’m going to be sitting around with tears in my eyes when that one comes out… It was terrible when I found out my character died.”
That last point may be new to those who haven't been keeping up with the sequel's various updates, but the site has broken down exactly how Captain Hiller met his demise...
“While test piloting the ESD’s first alien hybrid fighter, an unknown malfunction causes the untimely death of Col. Hiller. Hiller’s valor in the War of 96 made him a beloved global icon whose selfless assault against the alien mothership lead directly to the enemy’s defeat. He is survived by his wife Jasmine and son Dylan.”
Jasmine is played by the returning Vivica A. Fox, while Jessie Usher is Dylan, who will likely end up following in his Dad's footsteps. The rest of the cast includes Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, and more.
Independence Day: Resurgence opens June 24th 2016.
