‘Independence Day 2’ Has A New Lead Character, Will Smith Was Too Expensive

It’s been reported that Fox has cast Survivor’s Remorse star Jessie Usher as the lead character in Independence Day 2. Usher is the first actor to be attached to the sequel. The young actor will be playing as the son of Captain Steven Hiller, the pilot that Will Smith played in the first film. According to reports, Smith will not be returning for the sequel because “he is too expensive”. Joining Usher in the film are Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum, who will be reprising his role as David Levinson. Director Roland Emmerich will also be returning to helm the sequel, which is set to be released almost exactly 20 years after the first film came out.

Jessie Usher currently stars in the basketball series Survivor’s Remorse as Cam Calloway, a basketball player who moves with his family to Atlanta after he signs a pro contract. The show, which is produced by NBA star Lebron James, proved to be a huge success and has been renewed for a second season. Usher’s film credits include the football drama When the Game Stands Tall which he stars in alongside Jim Caviezel, Laura Dern, and Michael Chiklis.

Independence Day greatly raised Will Smith’s profile, so it definitely won’t be surprising if the sequel does the same for Usher, who is still relatively unknown. The Independence Day sequel has been in the works for some time now, and it was only in 2013 when it was revealed that Will Smith would not be taking part in the film.

With Roland Emmerich directing and producing, and Dean Devlin co-producing, there are definitely high hopes for the movie’s success. After all, Emmerich and Devlin were pretty much the kings of the Hollywood box office, especially in the ’90s. Emmerich is known for making films with high production values as well as his excessive and elaborate set pieces (the White House being blown up in the first Independence Day being a prime example).

Emmerich was born in Stuttgart, West Germany. His film credits include the action film White House Down, the disaster thriller The Day After Tomorrow, and the historical epic The Patriot starring Mel Gibson.

Independence Day was one of the biggest box office hits of the ’90s. It told the story of an alien invasion as seen through the eyes of multiple characters including soldiers, scientists, and the President of the United States. Details about the sequel’s plot are currently unknown.

[Main image via the_jessiet Instagaram]