As Independence Day approaches, Vivica A. Fox takes a moment to reflect on her experience in the alien-invasion film franchise that shares the same name, both with and without Will Smith.
During a recent interview with the AV Club, Fox expressed her lack of enthusiasm for “Independence Day: Resurgence,” the sequel that debuted two decades after the original “Independence Day” hit theaters in 1996.
In the 2016 follow-up, Fox reprised her role as Jasmine Hiller, but Smith did not return to portray Capt. Steven Hiller in the highly anticipated sequel.
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According to Fox’s interview with The AV Club, she expressed her disappointment with “Independence Day: Resurgence,” stating, “I didn’t think it was good, and it felt very similar to the first one.” She also believed that the absence of Will Smith was a significant factor, saying, “I truly believe that without Will Smith’s return, we would have failed.”
While “most of the original cast” returned for “Independence Day: Return,” Fox emphasized that Smith was “the one true link that was missing,” and she believed that his absence affected the film’s success.
When “Independence Day” premiered on July 3, 1996, it shattered box office records and quickly gained popularity with audiences and most critics. However, two decades later, “Resurgence” debuted to mixed to negative reviews. The disaster film received a disappointingly low 29% rating on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
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To provide some perspective, the original film released in 1996 earned nearly $10 million more domestically during its opening weekend compared to the sequel in 2016, even without adjusting for inflation. Fox candidly shared, “I’ll be honest with you.” “I attended the premiere of ‘Independence Day: Resurgence,’ and my immediate reaction was, ‘Mmm.’ Mmmm. Let’s see how the fans respond to this.’ And of course, he surprised me on Twitter.” “Independence Day” is now streamable on Starz, while “Resurgence” is available for rental or purchase on various video-on-demand platforms.
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