The 1990s were the ultimate decade for sci-fi, during which several impressive titles came to life, including the likes of Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and The Matrix. While these dominated at the time, other similarly influential films also left a lasting impression, among which is Independence Day, the Roland Emmerich-directed sci-fi action film. Independence Day was released worldwide on July 3, 1996, but began showing the day before; that didn’t stop it from becoming a global phenomenon. 30 years later, the classic is gaining attention again, this time through streaming.
Over the past few days, Independence Day has been trending on AMC+ in the US. From being the 10th most popular title on the streamer last week, it is now the sixth, right after the sci-fi fantasy Talamasca: The Secret Order. This comes shortly after we confirmed that the blockbuster would arrive on Netflix next month, giving fans another chance to revisit it. In addition to directing, Emmerich wrote the screenplay alongside the film’s producer, Dean Devlin. The duo also worked together on the 2016 sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, which, unfortunately, wasn’t as successful as its predecessor.
Featured in Independence Day is an ensemble cast led by Will Smith, who stars with Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, Vivica A. Fox, James Rebhorn, and Harvey Fierstein. The sequel, on the other hand, doesn’t feature Smith (which Emmerich regretted) but instead stars Liam Hemsworth, Goldblum, Pullman, Hirsch, Maika Monroe, Jessie T. Usher, Travis Tope, William Fichtner, and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
‘Independence Day’ Is One of the Greatest Sci-Fi Blockbusters of the 1990s
Starring Smith as Captain Steven Hiller, Independence Day sees him tasked with saving the world after a powerful extraterrestrial race enters Earth’s orbit, threatening all life on Earth. The day Hiller and his team launch a counterattack is on July 4, thus redefining what Independence Day means. The sci-fi gem holds a 69% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus praising it for delivering as “a thrilling, spectacle-filled summer movie” despite its thin plot and character development. Nevertheless, Independence Day was a massive hit at the box office, grossing over $817 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1996 and the second-highest-grossing film ever at the time, behind 1993’s Jurassic Park.
Independence Day streams on AMC+. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest film and TV news.
Release Date
July 3, 1996
Runtime
145 minutes
Director
Roland Emmerich
