Will Smith film ‘Independence Day’ trending on Netflix 30 years after release
One of the most iconic sci-fi blockbusters of all time is having a major streaming moment.
Independence Day released in 1996 climbed up to Netflix’s Top 10 movies chart nearly three decades after its original release.
According to streaming tracker data the film Independence Day recently climbed to No. 4 on the streaming platform jumping two spots in one day.
The event was a surprising resurgence for a movie with no current sequel or reboot announcement attached.
Despite mixed critical reviews at the time audiences embraced the movie in a massive way.
Independence Day went on to gross more than $817 million worldwide briefly becoming the second-highest-grossing film in history after Jurassic Park.
The franchise didn’t see an immediate continuation. A sequel to the film named Independence Day: Resurgence was released 20 years later in 2016.
Will Smith did not return and the film underperformed at the box office earning under $390 million globally.
Plans for further sequels were ultimately shelved.
Now with the original film climbing to the top spots on Netflix and becoming an audience focus once again speculation about a possible new sequel is rising.
Since acquiring 20th Century Studios Disney has successfully relaunched several legacy franchises including Planet of the Apes, Alien, and Predator making it a possibility for Independence Day as well.
Although, the return and success of this franchise depend upon multiple factors including budget, creative direction, and the list of cast but adding Will Smith to the cast can surely boost the film’s success rate by giving the audience a taste of nostalgia.
Smith has recently shown openness to revisiting past roles returning for Bad Boys for Life and its 2024 sequel making it another solid possibility.
