Roland Emmerich admits 2016 sequel of 'Independence Day' was a mistake

Filmmaker Roland Emmerich deeply regrets making a follow-up film to his 1996 blockbuster "Independence Day". The 2016 sequel, titled "Independence Day: Resurgence", was a major failure for the filmmaker who has delivered hits such as "Godzilla" and "The Day After Tomorrow".

In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Emmerich admitted he should not have gone ahead with the sequel. "I just wanted to make a movie exactly like the first. But then in the middle of production Will (Smith) opted out because he wanted to do 'Suicide Squad.'

"I should have stopped making the movie because we had a much better script, then I had to, really fast, cobble another script together. I should have just said no because all of a sudden I was making something I criticized myself: a sequel," the filmmaker said. The original featured Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith in the lead. The film performed spectacularly upon its release, raking in over USD 817 million against its USD 75 million budget.

However, the sequel was a big disappointment. Despite names like Pullman and Goldblum as well as new cast members Liam Hemsworth, William Fichtner, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Jessie Usher, the film could not replicate the success of the first part.

Emmerich is currently promoting his World War II drama "Midway", which is slated to be released in the US on Friday.

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