<b></b>After 19 years, "Independence Day" has finally begun filming a sequel, and the alien ship that once brought devastation to Earth will come again. Recently, the crew held their first press conference in the studio, officially confirming the title of the sequel " Independence Day: The Comeback " . Before the press conference began, the crew had been working in the studio for 10 hours, but there was no tiredness. Facing the camera, they were happy to share their roles in the film and interpret the details of the behind-the-scenes shooting for us.
As the only media in China invited to visit the set, Time.com will interpret the questions that plague us for netizens: What makes the director have the idea of making a sequel? Why isn't Will Smith back? What is the role of Chinese actress Yang Ying in the film? Next, we will answer them for you one by one.
<b>↓ Click to view the video: "Independence Day 2" press conference scene, the director revealed the details of the film ↓</b>
<b>1. After many years, why did Emmerich make a sequel? </b>
Nearly 20 years have passed since 1996's Independence Day, so what gave Roland Emmerich the idea of making a sequel? He revealed at a press conference that the disaster film "2012" strengthened his belief in shooting "Independence Day 2".
Emmerich has always been known for various science fiction and disaster films, and after "Independence Day", he has also directed "Godzilla", "The Day After Tomorrow", "Ten Thousand Years Before History", "2012", "Shocking Crisis" and other visual masterpieces. In the mid-90s, when film special effects were still in their infancy, Independence Day undoubtedly represented the most advanced level at the time, and even today it can still shock people's hearts.
The special effects techniques used to shoot 2012 gave Emmerich confidence
In 2009, the disaster blockbuster "2012" made Emmerich see the possibility of making a stronger sequel: "When I made "2012", I was surprised that the film technology has developed to a very high level, as long as you can imagine it, it can be shown through the picture, so I think it is time to make a sequel! Later, he approached The Visual Director of Independence Day, Walker Engel, and the two of them hit it off, "I had images from various films in my mind and wrote them all down into the script, and I wanted to make them a reality!" ”
<b>2. Why didn't Will Smith return? </b>
goodbye,soldier
This is the "heart headache" of many fans, and they speculate that Shi Huang's film remuneration is too high, and Fox can't afford it? Director Emmerich gave a different answer at the press conference: since "Independence Day" in 1996, Will Smith has taken over a lot of science fiction and action movies, such as "Men in Black", "StormTrooper", "I, Robot", "I am legendary", "National Superman Hancock", "Return to Earth", etc., and also took over a lot of sequels "Men in Black 2", "Men in Black 3", "Jedi X-Men 2" and so on, and now Shi Huang has begun to feel a little tired of science fiction films and sequel films, and wants to pause. In addition, "When Happiness Knocks" and "Return to Earth" are both "father and son on the show family affection" model, the latter box office also suffered Waterloo, "Independence Day 2" will also involve father and son affection, which makes Shi Huang shake his head again.
However, Smith's role was not written to death by the screenwriter, although he did not appear, but there will be a plot in the film that "brother does not mix the rivers and lakes for many years, but there are still legends of brothers in the rivers and lakes".
<b>3. What is Angelababy's role? </b>
Group photo of pilots and planes
Chinese actresses joining Hollywood blockbusters is nothing new, especially fox films. At this press conference, Yang Ying appeared on stage as one of the top ten leading actors, and she revealed that her role was a "female man" - battle pilot Ren. In the film, she has no parents, grew up alone and formed a very strong personality, the male protagonist "Hammer Brother" Liam Hemsworth's role is also a combat pilot, and it is also a child who lost her parents in the orphanage, so Yang Ying and "Hammer Brother" may have a lot of opponent plays, even emotional scenes.
<b>4. Liam Hemsworth driving an excavator? </b>
This is the tall "lunar excavator"
As mentioned above, Jack, played by Hammer Brother, is a combat pilot, and his parents were killed in the 1996 attack, he grew up in an orphanage, and later joined the army to become the best pilot. But the conceited man also made mistakes, and while on a mission, he made the wrong decision to put one of them in danger of life. He was later sent to the moon for excavation work, which is also his appearance in the film - driving the "moon excavator". But when another round of alien attacks began, Hammer Brother returned to his pilot position, in what form, only to watch it when the film was released.
<b>5. Where was the film filmed? </b>
Fireworks were released outside the press conference, which means that the box office is booming!
The shooting base is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is also a favorite filming location for many movies and TV series, and is known as the "next Hollywood". "The Avengers" and the popular American drama "Breaking Bad" were filmed here, and later set off the local "poisoner" tourism fever, and even the old white drug caravan has become a tourist's sightseeing car... Back to the point, "Independence Day 2" has been filmed in Albuquerque for 8 weeks, and the crew chose to hold a press conference on the set in order to show the details of the film, the huge studio, the sci-fi space tugboat, and the fighter jet, so that the reporters of the time network who came to the scene were looking forward to this sci-fi giant.
<b>6. What does the studio look like? </b>
The creators who came out of the iron door
The Studio Albuquerque, on 28 acres, has eight studios and an extra-large open-air studio. The studio where the press conference was held was more than 30 meters high, and there was a blue screen hanging around it, so you can see that there will be many special effects shots in the film. There is a mechanical door in the central field of the studio, and the main creators come out of the press conference. Inside the door is the film's "lunar base", which includes two large machines – fighter jets with super attack firepower on one side and "moon tugboats/excavators" on the other, both of which are a mixture of human and alien technology, and the blue-light part of the engine is suspected to be the accompanying film of the alien spacecraft of the year. There will be thousands of special effects shots after the film is completed, but this 35-ton "excavator" is a real live-action shooting.
<b>7. The president of the United States has changed, what are the new highlights? </b>
There is a very "presidential model" between the hands and feet.
In 1996's "Independence Day", the U.S. president, played by Bill Pullman, was blind and not only flew a fighter jet to participate in the counter-offensive, but also gave an exciting "Independence Day speech", which was impressive. In the sequel, the female president played by Sheila Ward ascended to the throne, and she said that her new president image was more domineering and courageous than the mild-mannered Bill Pullman, and she was not afraid of alien attacks, one word: fight! At the press conference, Sheila Ward also thanked Emmerich for his "gender equality" advocacy and made himself president.
"Former President" Bill Pullman will still appear in the film, and Micah Monroe, who plays his daughter, will serve as the backbone of the White House and advise Sheila Ward.
<b>8. What are the upgrades to guns and weapons? </b>
Advanced fighter jets in the studio
In the previous part, as early as N years ago, there was already a mysterious relevant department such as the "Fifty-first District", which was responsible for developing alien technology and trying to communicate with aliens. Crashed alien spacecraft will always be the treasure of the military scientific research department, after these years of research, human beings have mastered the "Earth + alien" hybrid technology, defense capabilities have multiplied, linked to the aforementioned "moon tug", human "foreign-related" technology is also a remarkable progress. However, the aliens have not been idle these years, the original technology is more advanced than humans, dare to step on the earth again must be prepared, "hammer brother" revealed, this time the alien spaceship will be larger!
<b>9. Is Jeff Goldblum more afraid of dinosaurs or more afraid of aliens? </b>
"I'm afraid..."
Jeff Gobrunn, who has acted in two Jurassic Park films, was abused by a Tyrannosaurus Rex each time, so someone asked him: "If you were given a choice, would you rather meet a dinosaur or an alien?" Gaubrun looked surprised, thinking for a long time and still embarrassed, and finally he gave the answer: "Dinosaurs are extinct, so they will not appear around us; and aliens are very likely, because scientists have found traces of extraterrestrial life." But I hope that they are not here to conquer the Earth. "It seems that Gaubrunn is more afraid of dinosaurs, because carnivorous dinosaurs are here to eat you!" And the aliens may have come to establish friendly diplomatic relations.
<b>10. What happened to the whole world after the first battle? </b>
"ESD" (Space Defense Agency) logo on the aircraft engine
Since that attack in 1996, countries around the world have banded together against foreign enemies and formed an agency called the Earth Space Defense, in which representatives of all countries take office, using the resources of the entire world to defend the planet. Gobrun, who plays the commander of the Space Defense Agency in the film, said that it was a good time: "The boundaries between countries are not so obvious, and this feeling of a human family uniting together is so wonderful." Of course, this also provides room for Chinese pilot roles like Yang Ying to enter.
<b>Five return to the old character changes</b>
While it is a pity that Will Smith is no longer present, the five leading actors in 1996, "Techno-Lorraine" Jeff Goldblum, "Techno-Otaku Daddy" Judd Hirsch, "President" Bill Pullman, "The Emperor's Wife" Vivica Fox, and "Dr." Brent Spine all return to the sequel, adding a lot of feelings to the film at that time.
Nearly 20 years have passed, whether it is these actors or their roles in the film have experienced the baptism of time, let's take a look at how they have changed.
Left: Former president and his grown-up daughter; Right: The president and his young daughter in his arms
<b>"President": Resigned for many years, white-bearded</b>
The "president" played by Bill Pullman in "Independence Day" fascinated a young girl, with a handsome face and a heroic aura, making him the main backbone of humanity's counterattack. Today's Pullman has a white beard, but he can still see the handsome appearance of that year. Now he has "stepped down," but his daughter, Micah Monroe, will still work in the White House.
The father has withstood the carvings of time more than his son
<b>"Teasing father and son": The son is older than the father</b>
Judd Hirsch and Jeff Gobrun continue to play father and son, want to be handsome to the audience with the height of 194 and the posture of smoking a cigar, now has shown the traces of the years, but the "old man" Hirsch has not changed, now the father and son are more like brothers, the two will still play chess leisurely when the aliens attack? We'll see.
The relationship between "mother and son" is still very good
<b>"Smith's Wife": Put on clothes to save people</b>
Vivica Fox's occupation on Independence Day was a stripper, a profession that made Will Smith, who loved her, fall out of NASA's recruitment list several times. After years of tempering, she has "dressed" in the hospital, and in the sequel, the aliens have made a comeback and caused heavy casualties, and she is the leader of the logistics rescue team.
Aliens are quite humane, and they didn't kill you
<b>"Dr. Oken": Difficult not to die, longer hair</b>
Many people thought that Dr. Oken, who was wrapped around the neck of an alien in the first part to communicate with the president, must be dead, but it was obviously a wrong idea, and this crazy scientist with curly hair is back! He said that his hair is longer than the previous one, but looking at this hairline, it is estimated that he has to wear a wig...
Time.com will continue to launch interviews with the main creators and more details of the film, so stay tuned!