10 Feb - Will Smith, who is well known for movies like "I Am Legend", "After Earth" and the "Men In Black" trilogy, will reportedly not reprise one of his popular lead role in director Roland Emmerich's upcoming "Independence Day" sequel. Smith, who played Captain Steven Hiller in the original, is said to have told production company Fox Studios that he will not be involved. However, according to entertainment site Deadline, the actor has been 'back and forth' on the matter. The filmmakers hoped to have the sequel in cinemas by July 2016 as that date would nicely mark the 20th anniversary of the 1996 original, which grossed USD$817.4 million (RM2.7 billion) worldwide.
"I don't believe that Smith has had the final conversation yet with Emmerich, but that will likely happen shortly. I was told not to set this in stone, because Smith has been back and forth before on whether to make the movie, though I hear he is pretty much decided," wrote Deadline writer Mike Fleming Jr. Smith made a remark last year that hinted about him quitting blockbuster movies, and with him not being in the sequel to "Independence Day", it looks like he is keeping his word. "There's something about making movies that just really gets me excited," said Smith last year, "It's been an absolute necessity that the movie be a blockbuster, but I'm going to start moving out of that and finding more danger in my artistic choices." Even though Smith won't be returning for the sequel, there has reportedly been many of the original stars who will be reprising their roles along with some new additions, according to Emmerich. The original film also starred Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Randy Quaid, Mary McDonnell, Brent Spiner, James Duval and Vivica A. Fox.