20 years after the original film, part 2 is finally coming to theaters, albeit sans Will Smith.
The trailer to "Independence Day: Resurgence" was released recently, giving audiences a sneak peek of what to expect from the long-awaited sequel.
"It looks like President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) may still have a connection to the aliens after learning the plans of their species through a psychic connection in the first film," /FILM observed. "The grizzled beard shows us that he might be dealing with some serious post-traumatic stress after his encounter with the aliens the first time around."
"The interruption of his memorable speech at the end is a great touch," the site added.
The film stars Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Brent Spiner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe and Sela Ward, according to ComingSoon. The flick also came with the following synopsis:
"We always knew they were coming back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens' advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction."
Fans of the first film may be wondering why Smith isn't back in the follow up to the flick that launched him to blockbuster stardom, considering he was one of the central characters in the movie.
Previously, director Roland Emmerich revealed that although the filmmaker was eager to work with the actor again, Smith ultimately decided "he was tired of sequels, and he did another science fiction film, which was his father-son story, so he opted out," according to Screen Crush.
So, how did the makers of part 2 manage this hiccup?
"In the new movie's story, his character was killed in 2007 while test piloting the first alien hybrid fighter due to an 'unknown malfunction,'" Time said. "The film company created a website devoted to explaining the crucial events of the fictional 'War of 1996,' recounting the plot of the original film in which mankind unites to successfully fight off the extraterrestrials, along with a timeline of what came after."
In the wake of his passing, his son Dylan, played by Usher, stepped up to fill in the void.
"Independence Day: Resurgence" will arrive in theaters June 24, 2016.
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