'Independence Day 2' Release Date Pushed Back A Year

Credit: 20th Century Fox

20th century FOX is pushing back the release date of Independence Day 2 almost a year later. The film will instead open on July 1st, 2016, almost exactly 20 years after the original was released.

20. Years. Does that not make you feel old? And yet, the entire cast is still attractive.

The sequel film was originally slated to be released on July 3rd, 2015.

Variety reports:

Emmerich has been working on the sequel with “Independence Day” co-writer Dean Devlin and “White House Down” writer-producer James Vanderbilt. He has indicated that Will Smith will not be returning.

Fox announced the decision to shift the sequel back a year on the same day that it disclosed it was moving three other key releases back — Josh Trank‘s “Fantastic Four” reboot from March 6, 2015 to June 19, 2015; Matthew Vaughn‘s “The Secret Service” to March 6, 2015, instead of November 11, 2014; and Michael Fassbender‘s “Assassin’s Creed” moving to Aug. 7, 2015 from June 19, 2015.

Really, Will Smith? What else are you doing?

The optimist in me hopes this gives Jeff Goldblum more time to appear in the upcoming Jurassic World.

Hot president alert!