Will Smith's lack of appearance in Men in Black: International stings a little less because it doesn't come down to scheduling. Related: Men In Black Movie Timeline & Mythology Explained Men In Black: International Has Will Smith "Cameo" In A Painting So the decision was made to kill Captain Steve Killer off-screen - with him dying in 2007 during a "test flight of the ESD's first functional Hybrid Fighter" - and double down on the younger generation takes up the mantle angle.
Ultimately the prospect of treading new ground with Suicide Squad was more tempting than reviving a decades-old franchise. For his part, Smith has also pointed out that he was feeling his own version of franchise fatigue when trying to decide which project to go with.
#Is will smith in the movie independence day resurgence full#
And considering Fox, Jeff Goldblum, and Judd Hirsch had all also agreed to appear, if Smith had joined, Independence Day: Resurgence probably could've succeeded riding on nostalgia alone. But even with that script, Smith's dance card was full when Resurgence was in development, and given the choice, he went with Suicide Squad instead of the sci-fi sequel.Īccording to Emmerich, Smith balked at the idea that he could do four sci-fi films in a row (originally Emmerich had planned to shoot two Independence Day films back-to-back and Smith had just recently worked on Men In Black 3 and After Earth). According an EW interview with Roland Emmerich, the original script featured a father/son story starring Smith and his adopted son, by Vivia A. Part of what makes the failure of Razzie-nominated Independence Day: Resurgence really sting is the idea that Will Smith could have been in it. Independence Day: Resurgence Killed Will Smith Off-Screen We can't say that Will Smith could've saved either film, but we can say that the odds were always low that either of those two sequels succeeding or even adding something worthwhile to their legacy without Smith. Even Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson's obvious chemistry seen in Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok isn't compelling, despite them both turning in solid performances. The idea of introducing a female agent as some kind of certificate of progressiveness feels condescending, especially when considering Linda Fiorentino's refreshingly three-dimensional arc in the first film. Men in Black: International hasn't suffered from quite the same early disdain and/or concern, but it's still a lackluster addition to a previously proven franchise. Related: Men In Black: International's Ending Explained Public backlash against the casting decision included harsh words from several industry professionals as well as biting think pieces calling out the inherent misogyny at work. That particular PR disaster reached its zenith weeks before the film release, clearly not easing fears that the sequel would be an embarrassing follow-up to a summer blockbuster that's arguably genre-defining.
Smith also wasn't the only confusing casting choice - Maika Monroe played Patricia Whitmore instead of Mae Whitman, who starred in the first film. Independence Day: Resurgence famously bombed in 2016, pulling in barely half of what the original movie did 20 years earlier in 1996. Critics responded in kind, widely panning it. Like the Independence Day sequel, the fourth film in the Men in Black franchise suffers from several major issues, not the least of which is the lack of Smith's defining charisma and magnetic talent. Men in Black: International has clearly made the same mistake as 2016's Independence Day: Resurgence, which is making a sequel without Will Smith.
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