Will Smith’s $817M Epic Officially Resurrected Sci-Fi for an Entire Generation

The 1990s signaled a change in Hollywood history as the science fiction genre declined, propped up by a handful of hits like Jurassic Park and Independence Day. As directors like Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher made crime thriller hits again, big-budget genre films struggled to leave their own mark. In 1996, Will Smith helped turn it all around when he headlined what has since become the definitive alien invasion film of all time.

To say that Will Smith boasts one of the most impressive careers of the last thirty years wouldn’t quite do justice to the man who headlined the likes of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Men in Black, and Bad Boys. Often finding his strength in roles that combined comedy and action, he crafted his own style of movie hero that’s remained a winning formula since. Although many would point to his characters like Mike Lowry and Agent J as the ones that made an impression on them, it was his 1996 alien invasion epic that branded him an action hero. Almost thirty years later, it’s still an icon of the ’90s for helping to revive the science fiction blockbuster for a generation.

Science Fiction Stumbled During the 1990s

Will Smith as Steven Hiller stares into the distance in Independence DayImage via 20th Century Fox

The 1990s were an interesting time for cinema. Where the ’80s had been dominated by family-friendly franchise films like Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, and Star Wars, the arrival of directors like Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher changed things. This generation proved they could take small budgets and transform them into box office gold, paving the way for the return of eccentric dramas, dark thrillers, and the eventual comeback of slashers.

The blockbuster success of movies like Pulp Fiction and Dances With Wolves pushed studios away from ambitious giants and towards more subdued character stories and limited budgets. This stood in stark contrast to later films like Independence Day, which were far more dependent on spectacle and effects than character study.

Although Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park had been a monumental hit in 1993, flops like The Postman, Waterworld, Virtuosity, and Judge Dredd left studios cautious about big-budget concepts. Action-driven franchise movies like Terminator 2 still had a place, but most big production companies weren’t interested in trying anything new, especially not CGI-heavy spectacles.

The decade belonged, without a doubt, to genres like crime and drama, which repeatedly proved they could spin small budgets into enormous profits. As the years pushed on, that became Hollywood’s focus, leading to something of a renaissance in genres like comedy, crime, and Western. As the genre that was notorious for its eye-watering production costs, every science fiction movie was fighting an uphill battle to get made.

Different periods in history have seen different genres come and go. Nobody in the 1960s could have predicted the Western would be on its last legs by the 1980s, just as few in the ’80s could have pictured its revival with Unforgiven and Dances With Wolves. Likewise, the idea of a film like Pulp Fiction or Se7en becoming a cultural phenomenon amidst the wave of family-oriented franchises in the ’80s was unthinkable at the time. It’s always fallen to stunning success stories to reshape cinema, with directors honing their craft and proving the viability of a particular style of film to a new generation.

Independence Day Revived the Science Fiction Blockbuster

Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum standing side by side in Independence DayImage via 20th Century Fox

In 1996, Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin teamed up to bring the world the ultimate summer blockbuster in Independence Day. The film follows the arrival of an alien fleet to Earth, whose governments are cautious and skeptical of their intent. When the beings launch a devastating worldwide attack, the President of the United States, James Whitmore, takes refuge in Area 51.

Accompanied by a brilliant IT tech, David Levinson, he tries to coordinate a counter-attack to liberate the planet from its new oppressors. At the same time, a US Marine Corps pilot, Steven Hiller, makes his way to the base with an alien in tow after surviving a dogfight with the aliens. Rallying around the president, surviving Americans prepare to save their world from their would-be conquerors.

Independence Day was, in every sense of the term, the perfect summer blockbuster for America. Centered around its Fourth of July weekend release, it was crafted to appeal to a wide cross-section of America, in no small part a function of its diverse cast of characters. Although some critics weren’t a fan of the film’s ultra-patriotic vibe, it’s hard to deny that the story resonated incredibly well with post-Cold War America, embracing themes of unity, humanity, and progress. These themes have also informed countless modern hits, serving as the basis for films like The Martian, albeit with less action.

Although Will Smith had headlined a successful action film the year before in Michael Bay’s Bad Boys, he was still seen as an up-and-comer in the Hollywood world. Emmerich and Devlin actually had to convince the studio to include him in the movie, no easy task at a time when companies were still hesitant to cast black stars in big-budget films.

When it neared a billion dollars, it didn’t just make Smith the king of the box office; it paved the way for better representation in huge Hollywood productions moving into the 21st century. After starring in the film, the calls started to pour in, leading to gems like Men in Black, I, Robot, and I Am Legend. Even the flop of Wild Wild West wasn’t enough to reverse studios’ view of him as box office gold.

After Independence Day, studios gradually learned the delicate balancing act between budget, star power, and hook needed to make a science fiction hit. Although the genre has seen some monumental flops, the success of films like Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar shows there’s still a place for the sci-fi epic in Hollywood. Along with sci-fi, the film reinvented the disaster movie for modern times.

Independence Day’s Success Helped Keep Science Fiction Alive

Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) inspects a dagger in DuneImage via Warner Bros/Everett Collection

After Independence Day’s success, studio interest in science fiction started to climb once again, green-lighting a slew of movies that otherwise never would have stood a chance. Although many of these subsequent releases were flops akin to the mid-90s, the overall impact of Emmerich’s film was more science fiction at a time when it seemed to be on life support. As Time Magazine said of the film on the cover of their July 1996 issue, “sci-fi makes a comeback,” reflecting the undeniable impact its success would have on the genre.

Above all else, Independence Day basically reinvented the alien invasion sub-genre, something that had previously been the domain of ’50s B-movies and Body Snatchers-inspired thrillers. After 1996, these films became far more ambitious in scope, paving the way for the likes of Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds adaptation.

The epic side of science fiction had always been something Hollywood struggled to turn a profit on, as shown with David Lynch’s Dune, Gary Nelson’s The Black Hole, and The Last Starfighter. Before Will Smith’s film, there was no indication there was even much of a market for this brand of sci-fi, with audience interest clearly being in monster movies like Jurassic Park.

It’s hard to watch a modern alien blockbuster without seeing the direct influence of Emmerich’s movie, whether that’s Battleship, Battle: Los Angeles, The Tomorrow War, or Edge of Tomorrow. Although the entire genre owes its existence to HG Wells’ War of the Worlds, it was the cinematic success of Independence Day that changed things at the box office. In the ’96 movie, viewers will find a not at all subtle duplicate of the idea behind Wells’ story, trading the famous pathogen twist for a virtual computer virus, a sign of the tech boom of the decade.

Independence Day is the Blueprint for Sci-Fi Epics

Steven and Jasmine Hiller at their wedding in Independence DayImage via 20th Century Fox

The epic side of any genre is always the hardest success to pull off, whether that’s fantasy, drama, Western, or science fiction. As easy as it is to remember the hits like Titanic, Dances With Wolves, or Dune, people are quick to forget flops like Heaven’s Gate, John Carter, and Babylon.

While these films do find their share of fans, they struggle to penetrate the mainstream zeitgeist in a way that even some modest successes do. Instead, they rely on cult followings and nostalgia to remain relevant as the years go by. In the case of Independence Day, Emmerich and Devlin found the ideal formula for the perfect mainstream sci-fi blockbuster epic, blending patriotism, action, visual spectacle, and relatable characters to win over America.

Above all else, the movie was a triumph of visual effects, giving the audience spectacles that many had no idea were actually CGI. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone to learn the film earned an Oscar for its phenomenal effects, making it one of the most impressive visual experiences to date.

Alien invasion movies are still a favorite of Hollywood today, as seen in modern hits like Edge of Tomorrow and The Tomorrow War, but they owe so much to Emmerich’s 1996 masterpiece. Will Smith was already an American icon before Independence Day, but the Fourth of July sci-fi hit proved he could carry a blockbuster to monumental success.

Release Date

July 3, 1996

Runtime

145 minutes

Director

Roland Emmerich

Writers

Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich

Producers

Ute Emmerich

• Will Smith

  Capt. Steven Hiller

• Bill Pullman

  President Thomas J. Whitmore