

"I just wanted to make a movie exactly like the first, but then in the middle of production Will opted out because he wanted to do Suicide Squad," said Emmerich. However, Smith ultimately dropped out, which may have been the root of the film's problems, director Roland Emmerich told Yahoo!

Some of the original stars like Bill Pullman and Brent Spiner reprised their roles, and Will Smith was initially going to join them. Such was the case with 2016's Independence Day: Resurgence, a big-budget, high-concept sci-fi sequel that came exactly 20 years after the original alien invasion flick.

In an era where sequels, continuations, and reboots can happen years or decades after the original, it's always a bit of a risk when it comes to how much of the original fanbase will stick around.
