Will Smith Independence Day

With how busy Will Smith has been as of late, it was somewhat surprising to find out that the man had a visceral reaction to learning about the death of his character in the ‘Independence Day’ universe, especially when he has far more lucrative franchises he is currently involved with, such as DC’s upcoming ‘Suicide Squad‘ film. However, the original ‘Independence Day’ was the movie responsible for skyrocketing Smith to box office greatness, so it makes sense that the film and his character would hold a special place in his heart. According to a recent interview with Yahoo, Smith was definitely saddened by news of the death of his character, but seems to remain hopeful about the success of the new film:

 “It was terrible when I found out my character died… I was working on ‘Suicide Squad’ during that time. Roland 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.”

Of course, Smith’s character, Steven Hiller’s death was revealed through a viral website for the upcoming sequel, the details of which you can check out below:

“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 his son Dylan.”

In true Will Smith fashion, his comments toward his character’s death and the future of the franchise seem very classy, and if the sequel does well and spawns another sequel, I see not reason why they could not resurrect Smith’s character should he choose to come back. What are your thoughts about the death of Colonel Steven Hiller, and the new ‘Independence Day’ film? Will you go to see it even though Smith is not involved? Share your opinions down in the comments section!

And make sure to check out the full synopsis for the new film below:

We always knew they were coming back. After INDEPENDENCE DAY redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.