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Pulse. (L-r) Jessica Rothe as Cass Himmelstein, Jack Bannon as Dr. Tom Cole, Jessy Yates as Harper, Jessie T. Usher as Sam Elijah, and Willa Fitzgerald as Danny in Episode 101 of Pulse. Cr. Anna Kooris/Netflix © 2024

One of the projects we’ve been crowing about coming up on Netflix in 2025 is the streamer’s first-ever medical procedural series, Pulse. The series has had the lid lifted on it with an April 2025 release date set. Here are all those first looks and a recap of everything we know so far.

First announced publicly in March 2024 (although in development for at least a year before that), the series marks a first for Netflix, at least when it comes to its English-language programming. Although it’s licensed plenty of medical dramas over the years, it’s never made one itself—at least not a procedural.

The series is created by veteran writer and producer Carlton Cuse,...

Actress Joey King has recently revealed that she has endured painful facial and neck burns. The star, known for The Kissing Booth and The Act, had been hurt in a cooking accident at her home. Notably, this comes out following the actress revealing that she had been struggling with a skin condition.

Joey King Was Splashed By Hot Oil While Cooking Shallots

King first came to prominence as a child star. Notably, she’d played Ramona Quimby in Ramona and Beezus, alongside Selena Gomez.

Since then, King gained larger recognition for The Kissing Booth film series and for playing Gypsy-Rose Blanchard in the crime drama, The Act. King has also had notable roles in films like Uglies, Battle: Los Angeles, Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Dark Knight Rises, The Conjuring, White House Down, and Independence Day: Resurgence.

Joey King as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in ‘The Act’-YouTube

According to The Standard,...

Throughout his Star Trek career, Brent Spiner has proven himself as one of the franchise's most versatile actors by portraying several different androids beyond Star Trek: The Next Generation's Lt. Commander Data. Data was created by Dr. Noonien Soong (also portrayed by Brent Spiner), a cyberneticist who built several androids over the course of his life. Brent not only portrayed Data and his creator, but Spiner also portrayed every other Soong android that has appeared on Star Trek, including Data's evil twin brother, Lore.

Brent Spiner began acting in the late 1970s and is most well-known for his portrayal of Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In total, Spiner has portrayed versions of three different androids, as well as four different members of the Soong family. Spiner is also known for playing Dr. Brakish Okun in Independence Day and Independence Day: Resurgence, and Bob Wheeler in the original Night Court and the 2023 reboot.

The Fourth of July may be six months out, but Will Smith's 1996 blockbuster is number one on the Tubi Top 10 chart. Independence Day was the film that launched Smith's career into orbit, particularly with the one-two punch of ID4 and Men in Black a year later.

Directed by Roland Emmerich, produced by his creative partner, Dean Devlin, and written by both, Independence Day was the most highly anticipated movie of 1996. Twister had opened early in the summer on May 10, which was considered odd at the time, and there weren't any other movies to compete with when ID4 finally opened on July 3. Made on a production budget of $75 million, it eventually earned a sizzling $817.4 million worldwide.

The film follows the invasion of Earth by aliens bent on its destruction, and featured what was then considered a shocking scene: the White House being blown up. Smith plays Captain Stephen Hiller, a pilot in the U.S. Marines.

Swiss director Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5” takes an unusual approach to the story of the terrorist attack on the Israeli Olympic team at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, which ended with the deaths of the 11 athletes and coaches who had been taken hostage. For most of its running time, the Paramount film never leaves the ABC Sports studio where a staff accustomed to broadcasting sporting events tried to cover breaking news that was going out to an estimated 1 billion viewers worldwide.

By focusing on a control room, a small studio and a few offices and hallways, the film situates its big story in a small, crowded pressure cooker — and that’s how Fehlbaum and his longtime cinematographer Markus Förderer shot it, too.

“The art department was building the set on a soundstage, and they asked us, ‘Which walls should we break away? Do you want the ceiling to be open to light from the top?...

After Longlegs became a surprise hit over the summer, Maika Monroe has lined up her next horror film, re-teaming with distributor Neon and director Chloe Okuno.

Per Deadline, Monroe is set to star in Brides, a horror film written and directed by Okuno. Longlegs distributor, Neon, plans to release the movie theatrically. Brides follows "Sally Bishop (Monroe) and her husband, who travel to a remote Italian villa where the villa’s owner, a mysterious count, takes a peculiar interest in Sally." Anthony Bregman and Stefanie Azpiazu will serve as producers for Brides. Okuno made her feature debut with Watcher in 2022, a psychological thriller starring Monroe.

Related Chris Hemsworth's Horror-Comedy Film With 92% Rotten Tomatoes Score Gets Free Streaming Home

One of the most critically acclaimed horror films of the past two decades is heading to a new streaming home for the new year.

Okuno is also known for directing a...

Roland Emmerich's sci-fi classic Independence Day will stream for free on a major platform next month. The 1996 film, which helped cement Will Smith's status as a Hollywood megastar, debuted to positive reviews and grossed over $817 million at the global box office on a production budget of $75 million.

Fans will now get to rewatch Independence Day when it arrives on Tubi on January 1. The film follows disparate groups of people who converge in the Nevada desert after a worldwide attack by a powerful extraterrestrial race. Led by U.S. President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) and alongside a global coalition, they launch a counterattack on July 4, the United States' Independence Day. Smith features as Captain Steven Hiller, a Marine F/A-18 pilot squadron leader who plays a crucial role in the aliens' defeat. Alongside Smith and Pullman, the movie stars Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid,...

Roland Emmerich's movies are known for being visual spectacles in the disaster and sci-fi genres, and while some have been big box office hits, he has never been the most critically admired filmmaker. He has worked alongside some big Hollywood stars, such as Will Smith, Kurt Russell, and Jake Gyllenhaal. He has also explored the end of the world through various points of view, from natural disasters to alien invasions. While many of his films have been critically panned, Emmerich’s filmography has earned over $3 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing directors of all time.

Along with directing, Emmerich typically also contributes to film projects as a writer and producer, giving him greater control over the end results. This has also allowed him to focus on the large-scale spectacles he is best known for, especially within the disaster genre, potentially including Independence Day 3. This has earned the...

Theres just something about a disaster thriller that piques our interest as humans. Finding themselves on the spectrum of either this could never happen or this is way too close to home, the genre has long played on our fears of the end of the world. And, if there was one director who wed consider to be obsessed with the apocalyptic idea, it would be hands down Roland Emmerich. The man behind such titles as Moonfall, Independence Day: Resurgence, and 2012 has made a career out of helming large-scale, epic blockbusters about the Earths final days. Two decades ago, he paired with Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, and Emmy Rossum for the adrenaline-pumping The Day After Tomorrow. Despite suffering a tidal wave of hate from critics, the movie is now enjoying a resurgence on its current streaming home of Peacock, where it finds itself steadily climbing the platforms Top 10.

At one time, Watcher director Chloe Okuno was attached to direct the fourth entry in Netflix’s R.L. Stine-inspired Fear Street franchise – but while Fear Street: Prom Queen has made its way through production without her involvement (the movie ended up being directed by Matthew Palmer), Okuno has been busy getting another genre project set up. One that will reunite her with Watcher star Maika Monroe. This one is called Brides, and Deadline reports that it’s currently in pre-production, aiming to start filming in the Spring of 2025.

Scripted by Okuno, Brides draws inspiration from Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. Set in 1960s Italy, it will show us what happens when Sally Bishop (Monroe) and her husband travel to a remote villa in the wake of Sally’s nervous breakdown. The villa’s owner, a mysterious count, takes a peculiar interest in Sally. But he gets far more than...

While The Patriot, released in 2000, might be pushing a quarter-of-a-century old, it is still arguably one of the greatest films to take place during the Revolutionary War Era. The Roland Emmerich-directed epic starring Mel Gibson will be available to stream for free on Tubi, beginning November 1, 2024.

While known for sci-fi blockbuster movies like Independence Day, Stargate, and Independence Day: Resurgence, Emmerichs The Patriot delves into the lives of the Martin Family in 1776. The family is led by patriarch and former soldier Benjamin Martin, played by Gibson, who struggles when his son, Gabriel, played by the late Heath Ledger, decides to enlist in the military during the Revolutionary War.

The Patriot also stars Joley Richardson, Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Chris Cooper (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Tom Wilkinson (The Full Monty), Adam Baldwin (Chuck) and Donal Logue (Gotham).

Related 'You'll See': Andrew Garfield Recalls...

Hollywood has long sought to retain the interest of moviegoers in its biggest franchises, from action movies like Die Hard to creature features like Jaws. However, as the film industry has gone on, studios and directors have learned the hard way that there's an art to delivering a good sequel -- and that a bad one can tank a property. While the typical movie sequel is generally a decent experience, some have missed the mark so badly that audience opinion turned from disappointment to anger.

Hollywood's relationship with fans has always been a tenuous one, particularly as studios often prioritize profit over story, which has led to some of the industry's most hated movies. When combined with the fact that fans are notoriously hard to please, the odds are often against sequels from the start. A sequel being hated doesn't inherently make it a bad film, but it's worth remembering...

Exclusive: Harry Delano (Freud’s Last Session), Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen), Amar Chadha-Patel (The Decameron) and Arturo Del Puerto (For All Mankind) have joined the 20th Television pilot for Hulu Downforce (working title) starring Eve Hewson and Murray Bartlett.

Downforce follows Victoria (Hewson), the estranged daughter of a storied racing team’s owner, Sir Trevor (Bartlett), who is thrust back into the family business, leaving the pair to find common ground or risk destroying the team’s legacy.

Delano will play Cayley, Alastair’s son, an engineering genius who’s put to work to help the team; Shearsmith will play Alastair, Regent Racing’s fastidious chief race engineer; Chadha-Patel will play Ihsan, the gentle giant of a chief mechanic for Team Regent; Del Puerto plays Emiliano, the ostentatious Spanish owner of a competing team who’s hellbent on destroying Regent Racing.

Alec Berg will direct the pilot and executive produce alongside Adam Countee,...

If Disney decides to ever make a live-action Frozen movie, Kristen Bell knows who should play Anna. The actor, who voices the Disney princess in the animated Frozen movies, recently shared who she thinks would be perfect for the role in a live-action remake of the original 2013 movie.

While sitting down with Elle to promote her latest project, Nobody Wants This, with co-star Adam Brody, Bell was asked who she'd want to see play Anna in a live-action Frozen remake. "In the live-action?" Bell pondered, taking a moment to think about all the age-appropriate actors currently working in Hollywood. Eventually, she landed on one name, "Joey King," who is perhaps best known for leading Netflix's The Kissing Booth film trilogy. Her acting credits also include The Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Conjuring (2013), Independence Day: Resurgence (2016), Bullet Train (2022), and, most recently, A Family Affair (2024) and Despicable Me 4 (2024).

Related 'That Was...

Following the success of her horror movie Longlegs, Maika Monroe has picked up her next starring role. She'll be taking the lead in a remake of a film that made waves when it was released in 1992.

Per THR, Monroe has been cast for a major role in 20th Century Studios' upcoming remake of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. The remake will be helmed by Michelle Garza Cervera (Huesara), while the film will be produced by Ted Field of Radar Pictures alongside Michael Schaefer and Mike Larocca of Department M. Micah Bloomberg penned the script for the remake.

Related 'Unlike Anything He's Made': Elijah Wood Teases New Stephen King Adaptation From Longlegs Director

Star of The Monkey, Elijah Wood, shares new details regarding the film and addresses Osgood Perkins' recent success.

Reportedly, Monroe, who was the first casting choice for the part, will be playing a nanny who becomes dead...

After starring in the acclaimed box office hit Longlegs, Makia Monroe has set her sights on her next horror project, and some old-school fans of the genre may recognize the name. She will be playing an evil nanny in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, a horror thriller that first released over 20 years ago. It will be a reimagining of the original 1992 film and will be produced by 20th Century Studios, who released the critically-acclaimed The First Omen earlier this year, a new installment of a classic horror franchise.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Maika Monroe books her first role after Longlegs in the 20th Century Studios-produced remake of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, directed by Michelle Garza Cervera (Huesera: The Bone Woman). The original film followed Mrs. Mott (Rebecca De Mornay), a recent widow who seeks to enact revenge on Claire Bartel (Annabella Sciorra) by posing as a nanny...

Will Smith's upcoming movie, I Am Legend 2, will break the actor's unwritten rule when it comes to sequels and it makes it all the more exciting. Based on Robert Matheson's novel, I Am Legend centers on Dr. Robert Nevulle's search for a cure after the human race is infected by a zombie virus. Although I Am Legend had a controversial ending, the movie mostly garnered positive reviews from both critics and audiences. Seventeen years after I Am Legend was released, the highly anticipated I Am Legend 2 with Michael B. Jordan in the cast will finally be coming to the big screen.

Although Will Smith is mostly known for his action movies, the actor has also appeared in several sci-fi movies including Men in Black, Bright, and After Earth. Throughout his illustrious acting career, it seems that Smith has an unwritten rule when it comes to making sequels,...

Film director, screenwriter, and producer, Roland Emmerich, is working on a highly controversial remake as he plans to bring the multi-Oscar-winning Lawrence of Arabia back to screens. Known as "The master of disaster", Emmerich has directed several major blockbuster films, including 1996's smash hit, Independence Day, starring Will Smith, 2004's The Day After Tomorrow, and 2009's 2012. In partnership with writer, Anthony McCarten, known for Bohemian Rhapsody, the two are shopping around a three-season television series titled In Arabia (via THR). The new series will feature even more characters than in the already epic film. The pitch of a television show is intriguing, as the additional runtime could benefit the expansive story by giving the complex political setting and enigmatic characters more time to be explored.

Lawrence of Arabia AdventureBiographyDocumentaryDramaHistoryWar Release Date December 11, 1962Cast Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Omar Sharif, Jose FerrerStudio Columbia Pictures Expand

Directed by David Lean,...

One of the most sought-after action stars in Hollywood has a legacy sequel that's dominating the streaming charts. Independence Day: Resurgence, the 2017 sci-fi action sequel starring Liam Hemsworth, Bill Pullman, and Maika Monroe, has landed in the #6 spot on Max's most popular movies chart. The film is set two decades after the original Independence Day, starring Will Smith, and sees Earth faced with a new extra-solar threat. The film was produced on a massive budget of $165 million but found major success at the box office by grossing nearly $400 million worldwide. In addition to Hemsworth, Pullman, and Monroe, Independence Day: Resurgence also stars Jeff Goldblum, Jessie T. Usher, and William Fichtner, and currently sits at dismal scores of 29% from critics and 30% from general audiences on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.

Jeff Goldblum emotionally reacts to his and Judd Hirsch's Independence Day farewell scene 28 years later with newfound insight as a father. In Roland Emmerich's 1996 sci-fi action movie, Goldblum played satellite engineer David Levinson, who is swept up in an extraterrestrial invasion. Levinson would be part of a two-man infiltration mission to bring down the mothership with a computer virus by disrupting their protective shields, opening the vessel up for a large counterattack.

While promoting his Netflix show Kaos, the actor sat down with Vanity Fair to rewatch some of his most iconic roles throughout his career.

As Goldblum rewatched the farewell between David and his father Julius before the Independence Day ending, Goldblum found himself overwhelmed as he viewed the 28-year-old scene with a new perspective as a father, before celebrating co-star Hirsch for his previous emotional scenes and cinema's power to move audiences. Check out Goldblum's full recollection below:

How sweet.

The Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed for Kaos. Kaos is a just-released Netflix comedy series that plays off Greek mythology in a modern-day, contemporary reimagining. The series features Jeff Goldblum in the lead role of Zeus, along with Janet McTeer as Hera, Stephan Dillane as Prometheus, Aurora Perrineau as Riddy, Nabhaan Rizwan as Dionysus, Killian Scott as Orpheus, Misia Butler as Caeneus, Susan Wooldridge as Pious Agatha, David Thewlis as Hades, Cliff Curtis as Poseidon, and Leila Farzad as Ari.

Now, the Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed for Kaos. At the time of writing, Kaos holds a fresh score of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes among the 24 critics who have reviewed it. The Popcornmeter (audience score) has under 50 reviews in, but so far sits at a 75%. This score is subject to change, for the show just released yesterday, August 29, meaning that far more reviews could be released in the coming days.

Trying to figure out what the watch on Max and can’t seem to find something that catches your eye? Well, don’t worry, as Max will be adding over 100 new titles across the month of September including dozens of movies and new original programming to enjoy!

The biggest new original series coming in September on Max is without a doubt The Penguin, which will see Colin Farrell reprising his role as Oz Cobb aka The Penguin from Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The new 8-episode limited series kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 9/8c with the series premiere with new episodes then released weekly on Sunday nights beginning on Sept. 29 (a rerun of the season premiere will stream on Sept. 22).

The Penguin will pick up following the events of The Batman, as Oz makes a play to seize the reins of the crime world in Gotham which will be no...

As we prime up for The Witcher‘s highly anticipated return to Netflix for its fourth season, we’re keeping track of which characters will return and who will be new.

The Witcher Season 4 cast and character guide will keep you apprised of all the latest news about the series ahead of its release in 2025 or 2026.

Fans will see some of their favorite characters returning and a few new additions to the roster.

(Susan Allnut/Netflix)

We’ve even got news about the cast switch-up for The Witcher’s main character, Geralt of Rivia. Read all about The Witcher’s fourth season and who you’ll see.

The Witcher Season 4 Cast and Character Guide

The Witcher is set to end with the fifth season, adapting the final three books in the series by Andrzej Sapkowski: Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Shallow, and Lady of the Lake.

The...

Director Roland Emmerich has offered a surprising update on the development of Independence Day 3, revealing at San Diego Comic-Con that he now has a story and is ready to go on the disaster movie sequel whenever Disney calls. Taking part in a roundtable interview hosted by The Direct at Sdcc, the writer and director behind Independence Day said he has not yet had any discussions with the House of Mouse, but assured that we just have to trust him...

"They've sold it now to Disney and I have to probably kind of talk to somebody at Disney I have a story and everything. Trust me, I have a story."

The Independence Day franchise is one of many major IPs that now falls under the Disney umbrella following the studios acquisition of 20th Century Fox back in 2019. Following the release of the sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, which came out two decades after the first movie,...

Director Roland Emmerich offered an update to The Direct about Independence Day 3 during San Diego Comic-Con 2024. 

Independence Day (starring the likes of Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum) debuted in theaters in 1996, to be followed by a sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, 20 years later.

Emmerich wrote and directed both films in the sci-fi series, which followed the events of an alien invasion on Earth and how humanity reacts to it.

Read full article on The Direct.

Roland Emmerich may be the king of the modern disaster epic, but the Stargate director is on a different path today. He's into historical epics, as he's currently the executive producer and director of Those About to Die, a Peacock event series about the Roman Empire, starring the legendary Anthony Hopkins. During an appearance to discuss the series on the podcast Bingeworthy, Emmerich briefly discussed his biggest hit of all, Independence Day, and revealed that killing off Will Smith's character in the sequel isn't the biggest obstacle to a third film.

Fans of the original 1996 film were pretty disappointed in the 2016 sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence. Set 20 years after the original, Resurgence finds the aliens returning to conquer Earth. Mankind's technology has evolved in the meantime, but once again, they find themselves overwhelmed by the invaders. Despite the return of Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman, the absence of Will Smith is very noticeable,...

Roland Emmerich casts doubt on an Independence Day 3 reunion with Will Smith due to Smith's character having been killed off in the sequel. Emmerich previously claimed that Smith dropped out of Independence Day: Resurgence only two weeks before filming, necessitating a complete script rewrite. The poor response to the sequel and Smith's character being dead suggests a third film in the franchise shouldn't move forward.

Independence Day franchise director Roland Emmerich addresses the chances of Independence Day 3 with Will Smith happening. Released in 1996, Emmerich's sci-fi disaster flick was a major hit, following Smith's Captain Steven Hiller and other key figures as they spearhead Earth's defense following an alien invasion. Emmerich would return to direct the poorly-received Independence Day: Resurgence in 2016, which kills off Hiller after Smith reportedly dropped out only two weeks before filming. Since then, the franchise has remained dormant, with no Independence Day 3 moving forward.

In a recent interview with The Playlist,...

Every streamer gets the “Game of Thrones” copycat it deserves. HBO, the original house of the dragons, can lay claim to an official prequel series that’s slavishly devoted to its predecessor. Prime Video, which would be the Scrooge McDuck of streaming if not for Apple TV+, can spend all of McBezos’ money rebooting “The Lord of the Rings,” yet still end up with a naggingly laborious “Rings of Power.” Netflix, always happier to buy talent than develop good ideas, hired “Game of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to turn a “3 Body Problem” into a three-season snooze (replete with problems that plagued their last few seasons in Westeros).

There are others — some, even, quite successful — but let’s steer our dragons toward the latest attempt: Peacock’s “Those About to Die” leans on epic political machinations, brutal violence, and cold, calculating characters to sell its saturated vision of...

Independence Day ranks seventh on a new U.S. streaming popularity chart for the week of July 4 10. The Will Smith movie remains a popular watch almost twenty years later, especially around the American Independence Day holiday. The Roland Emmerich blockbuster was a major box office success, and it helped to further establish Smith's movie star status in the 1990s.

Independence Day starring Will Smith has become a big hit on streaming. Released in 1996, the Roland Emmerich sci-fi film, which also stars Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman, chronicles humanity's fight to survive after destructive alien invaders attack Earth. Independence Day was a major box office success, grossing $817.4 million worldwide, on top of earning mostly positive reviews from critics. The movie remains a popular watch even almost two decades later.

A new streaming popularity chart from Reelgood now reveals that Independence Day was the seventh most popular title on streaming in the U.

Animated blockbuster Despicable Me 4 will be aiming to set records across its UK-Ireland run, as it opens in 688 cinemas this weekend through Universal.

Produced by Universal-owned animation stalwarts Illumination Entertainment, the Despicable Me franchise is among the most profitable of recent decades. The first film opened to £3.9m on its way to a £20.2m total in 2010; before the sequel started with £10m and ended on £47.5m in 2013; and was in turn surpassed by Despicable Me 3, which opened to £11.2m and closed on £47.9m.

The two Minions spin-off films landed in a similar territory as the two sequels. Minions...

When we think about legendary Scream Queens from the world of horror, it’s usually iconic final girls or empowered assassins who jump to mind – women like Jamie Lee Curtis and Sarah Michelle Gellar most associated with an iconic role despite a multitude of successful genre titles in their extensive catalog. While these beloved actresses will always be part of the horror landscape, newer Scream Queens have begun to diversify. Anya Taylor-Joy and Mia Goth have both broken their horror bones in a variety of outstanding genre films and continue to surprise us with unexpected roles. But of the many young actresses vying for Modern Scream Queen status, one woman rises to the top of the list.

For the past decade, Maikia Monroe has been reinventing the horror genre and her own cinematic legacy one complex role at a time. The California girl who once dreamed of a career as a professional kite-surfer,...

Will Smith's "Independence Day" holds a record as his only project to top the worldwide box office. "Independence Day" was the highest-grossing movie of 1996, earning $817 million worldwide. The modern box office has changed, making it unlikely for Smith to replicate "Independence Day's" success.

Will Smith's classic action blockbuster Independence Day still holds a record that may never be broken. Smith rose to stardom as the lead in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which became one of the most popular and beloved sitcoms of the 1990s, running for 147 episodes across six seasons from 1990 to 1996. The Fresh Prince of Beil-Air aired its final episode on May 20, 1996 even while the show continued to receive great ratings for the sole reason that Smith was ready to become a movie star. Smith quickly starred in Independence Day (1996) and Men in Black (1997), two of his highest-grossing movies.

Smith's career in feature film began with...

Will Smith's absence and scheduling conflicts led to the decline of Independence Day 3. The poor box office performance and critical reception of Independence Day: Resurgence halted the franchise's future. Director Roland Emmerich hopes to revive the franchise with Independence Day 3 on Disney+.

Still, to this day, there's been no confirmation of Independence Day 3, but the streaming era holds promise for a potential sequel or series to revive the franchise sometime in the future. Director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin took the world by storm with 1996's Independence Day, which premiered over the July 4th weekend and became a blockbuster hit, grossing $817 million worldwide (via The Numbers). The bombastic alien invasion/disaster movie persists as a sci-fi action cult classic and has cemented Will Smith as a bona fide movie star for his portrayal of the lead character, Steven Hiller.

Despite Independence Day's legacy of success,...

Independence Day, released in 1996, featured a star-studded cast including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, and Vivica A. Fox. Will Smith played Captain Steven Hiller, has starred in numerous sci-fi movies, including the Men in Black trilogy and the post-apocalyptic film I am Legend. Jeff Goldblum has had an eclectic career, appearing in movies like Thor: Ragnarok and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The cast of Independence Day were already big stars, and they've only gone from strength to strength in the intervening years. Roland Emmerich's sci-fi epic made a huge cultural impact on its release in 1996, due to some truly iconic set pieces and an incredible cast that included Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, and Vivica A. Fox. Independence Day tells the story of humanity's attempts to prevent an alien invasion of Earth, culminating in a daring,...

Every year on July 4, IMDb sees a huge surge of interest in Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi classic, ‘Independence Day,’ as indicated by page views. The film became the biggest box office hit of 1996, raking in $306 million domestically on a budget of $75 million. The competition wasn’t soft, either. Blockbusters like ‘Twister,’ ‘Mission: Impossible,’ ‘The Rock,’ and ‘The Nutty Professor’ were released the same year. In celebration of the film’s enduring popularity, IMDb has pulled together some of its favorite trivia to bring another layer of entertainment while watching (or rewatching) ‘Independence Day’ this year.

Here are some noteworthy fun facts, submitted by IMDb users:

‘Independence Day’ Holds the Record for Most Miniatures and Models in a Film

“Holds the record for most miniature model work to appear in one film. Model shop supervisor Michael Joyce estimated that more miniatures were used for this film than in any other two films combined. Due to the advances in digital technology since this film's release, most experts believe this record may stand forever.”

“The production's model-making department built more than twice as many miniatures for the production than had ever been built for any film before, by creating miniatures for buildings, city streets, aircraft, landmarks, and monuments. The crew also built miniatures for several of the spaceships featured in the film, including a thirty foot destroyer model, and a version of the mother ship spanning twelve feet.”

The Title ‘ID4’ Was Created to Avoid Legal Trouble

“The abbreviation "ID4" was invented due to legal problems with the title "Independence Day". Before 20th Century Fox reached a deal with Warner Bros. for the rights to the title, they suggested the film be called "Invasion", "Sky on Fire", "Doomsday", and "The End of The World", among others."

Area 51 Was a Touchy Subject with the U.S. Military

“According to producer/co-writer Dean Devlin, the U.S. military had agreed to support the film by allowing the crew to film at military bases, consulting the actors who have military roles, etc. However, after learning of the Area 51 references in the script, they withdrew their support.

Only One Real Airplane Was Flown on Screen

Except for the bi-plane during the crop-dusting scene, any airplane seen in the air in this film is either a model or computer-generated effect.

The Script Was Written in Four Weeks

Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich penned the script in four weeks. It was sent out on a Thursday, and they started fielding offers the next day. By Monday, they were in pre-production.

Explore more trivia from 'Independence Day' and the 2016 sequel 'Independence Day: Resurgence' on IMDb. Happy Fourth!...

Quick Links Independence Day Marketing Felt Like an Event Independence Day: Resurgence Felt Like More of the Same Independence Day Is Better Than Most People Give It Credit For, But the Sequel Is Worse Independence Day Was a Movie of It's Time That Could Not Be Replicated

"We've always believed we weren't alone. On July 4th, we'll wish we were."

That was one of many incredible taglines for the 1996 sci-fi classic Independence Day. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film was a big-budget sci-fi blockbuster that looked to give the classic B-movie alien invasion flicks of the 1950s the big-budget treatment with state-of-the-art visual effects. At the start of 1996, it was on nobody's radar, but it quickly became The event movie of the year. Anticipation was so high that the movie started screening a day early on July 2 because of the demand. Despite the mixed critical reactions, it became the second highest-grossing movie at the time,...

They Follow filming starts in early 2025, no release date yet. Sequel to It Follows may face challenge with a decade gap. Monroe's star power and return of the original director bring excitement to They Follow.

They Follow gets a filming update from one of the original film's stars. It Follows is 2014 horror film about a woman who is followed by a supernatural being after having a sexual encounter one evening. The film is directed by David Robert Mitchell and features a leading cast including Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe, Bailey Spry, and Carollette Phillips. Late last year, a sequel to It Follows titled They Follow was announced.

As per IndieWire, Monroe provides an update on They Follow. According to Monroe, the team will start filming in early 2025. Monroe did not provide further details about the film, noting that there was very little that she could say.

As the second film in the new Ghostbusters movie series, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire had to raise the stakes considerably. That's exactly what it did according to star McKenna Grace, who reprised her role as Phoebe Spengler. Ahead of the film's Blu-Ray release, Grace spoke to Cbr about returning to the character of Phoebe and the greater Ghostbusters universe -- which wasn't the first time she's been involved in a major movie franchise, since she also portrayed the young Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel.

Grace also discussed her favorite parts of playing Phoebe for the second time, including the friendship that Phoebe builds with the new character of Melody. Plus, how did she work with writer-producer Jason Reitman -- the son of late Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman -- to shape her character? And what did she not know until she saw Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's final cut?

Cbr: You are no stranger to big Hollywood franchises,...

After the Slap Heard (and Seen) Around the World, Will Smith, fresh off an Oscar win for King Richard, found himself in desperate need of image and reputational rehab. The answer, as always, was clear: Return to the long-running series that catapulted a then 27-year-old Smith into mega-stardom.. The series in question, the Michael Bay-directed Bad Boys, opened almost 30 years ago. A sequel followed eight years later, then nothing for 17 years until Bad Boys For Life became one of the few box-office hits of the pandemic’s early days. Fast forward past the...

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Roland Emmerichs Independence Day: Resurgence, the 2016 sequel to 1996s sci-fi alien invasion blockbuster Independence Day (also directed by Emmerich), sees a united humanity faced with their greatest danger yet: a new, even larger invasion of Earth than it faced in the original film. The alien race, referred to as Harvesters, seek to steal the Earths molten core as fuel, leaving Earth a lifeless husk in the process. Also visiting Earth is an advanced, extraterrestrial AI Sphere representing a consortium of extraterrestrial species who have fallen to the Harvesters, hoping humanity can join and lead their fight. On the human side of things, we see David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) and Dr. Brackish Okun (Brent Spiner) return, alongside new characters Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth), Patricia Whitmore (Maika Monroe), and Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher), to unite against the alien foes. While the sequel did expand the Independence Day universe, it also underperformed at the box office,...

Neon has done a great job of promoting the upcoming horror film Longlegs while also keeping the story’s secrets concealed. Although multiple teaser trailers and posters have made their way online, we still don’t know a whole lot about this movie, beyond the fact that it’s scheduled to reach theatres on July 12th. But if you want to know exactly how much we do know about it, just keep scrolling down, because we have compiled a list of Everything We Know About Longlegs.

Director

Longlegs, which is said to be “in the vein of classic Hollywood psychological thrillers”, is the latest genre project from director Osgood Perkins – who, yes, is the son of actor Anthony Perkins, best remembered for his performance as Norman Bates in the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho. The younger Perkins has been building a solid career of his own, though, with his previous directorial...

Liam Hemsworth debuts as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher set images. Henry Cavill passes the torch to Hemsworth, who expresses excitement for the role and admiration for Cavill's portrayal. The Witcher will conclude with season 5, Netflix have confirmed.

We finally have our first look at what Liam Hemsworth will look like as Geralt of Rivia in the upcoming fourth season of The Witcher. Several set images of the actor in costume (including the wig) have now come to light courtesy of Metro, with the photos showing Hemsworth engaging in some swordplay before taking a break from filming.

You can check out an image of Hemsworth as Geralt below courtesy of Metro Entertainment, with more images available here.

Alongside the images, the report points out that the action sequence involving Hemsworth appears to be recreating a scene from season 3 episode 6, in which Geralt fought the villainous sorcerer Vilgefortz of Roggeveen...

Netflix has announced several new cast members for its upcoming series Pulse. A medical drama series, Pulse will mark Netflix's first-ever procedural medical drama series, focusing on the world-class team of doctors at a top emergency center in Miami, Florida.

Per Netflix, the cast of the series has just added Santiago Segura, Jessica Rothe, Néstor Carbonell, Arturo Del Puerto, and Ash Santos (Mayor of Kingstown). They join previously reported cast members Willa Fitzgerald, Colin Woodell, Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Chelsea Muirhead, Daniela Nieves, Jessy Yates, and Justina Machado.

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Related Steve Carell Reunites With Tina Fey for Next Big Role in Netflix Series The Office and The Morning Show actor Steve Carell's next major series role has been revealed.

Segura had a starring role in the Scream television series, and he also has a recurring role in the hit medical drama series Grey's Anatomy. The actor also had a...

Exclusive: Netflix’s first original medical procedural Pulse has added Néstor Carbonell, Santiago Segura, Ash Santos (Mayor of Kingstown), Jessica Rothe and Arturo Del Puerto to its growing cast. The drama series hails from first-time creator Zoe Robyn and veteran Carlton Cuse.

Pulse follows the staff of Miami’s busiest Level 1 Trauma Center as navigate medical emergencies centering on young ER doc Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald) who is unexpectedly promoted to Chief Resident amidst the fallout of her own provocative romantic relationship.

In addition to Fitzgerald, Justina Machado, Colin Woodell, Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Chelsea Muirhead, Daniela Nieves and Jessy Yates also star.

Carbonell will play Dr. Ruben Soriano, a respected and sometimes feared senior surgeon. His commitment and passion have led him to prioritize his job above all else and he...

Those who know who Roland Emmerich is will probably know that the director is known for his epic films, a lot of which are also major disaster films. Some of these major titles include Universal Soldier (1992), Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996) and its sequel Independence Day: Resurgence (2016), Godzilla (1998), The Patriot (2000), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 10,000 BC (2008), 2012 (2009), White House Down (2013), Midway (2019), and Moonfall (2022). But, Emmerich is now shifting to television, as his new project is about to be released on Peacock this summer. Ahead of the premiere, a teaser trailer has been released.

The project in question is the epic sword-and-sandal series Those About to Die, which is set in Ancient Rome. The series will be based on the book of the same name by writer and journalist Daniel P. Mannix; interesting enough, the same book served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s epic classic, Gladiator.

The series will star acting legend...

Jason Reitman helms a Ghostbusters: Afterlife reboot-sequel, merging new and original characters in a fitting renewal for fans. McKenna Grace shines as Phoebe, Egon Spengler's granddaughter, continuing the Ghostbusters legacy with her love for science. Finn Wolfhard impresses as Trevor, Phoebe's older brother, joining the battle against ghosts and finding new friendships in Summerville.

The Ghostbusters: Afterlife cast introduces new characters and brings back some familiar faces, with both coming together to create a fitting renewal of the beloved Ghostbusters franchise. Directed by Jason Reitman, who steps into his father Ivan Reitman’s shoes to helm the latest franchise installment, Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a reboot and sequel to the original movie which both features a new generation of Ghostbusters while also heavily paying homage to the original movie. This leads to a Ghostbusters: Afterlife cast filled with new faces as well as many crowd-pleasing cameos.

The movie...

First look at Liam Hemsworth as Geralt in The Witcher season 4 is expected very soon, with preparation underway at Longcross Studios. Hemsworth bulked up for the role and is getting screen tests done. Henry Cavill passes the torch to Hemsworth in The Witcher season 4.

The first look at Liam Hemsworth as the monster hunter Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher season 4 is expected to be revealed “rather soon,” according to Redanian Intelligence. As per their report, there is currently work now being done at Longcross Studios, with the preparation for Hemsworth to take over from Henry Cavill underway, including “screen tests and photoshoots with Liam Hemsworth in costume and wig.”

According to the report, “Netflix is planning to release a first look rather soon,” meaning fans of The Witcher will at last be able to judge how Hemsworth looks as the main character. Filming on season 4 is reportedly all set to begin in mid-April,...

Disappointing sequels often fail to capture the essence of the original, lacking depth or originality. Ignoring what made the first movie great sets up sequels for failure. Legacy sequels face the challenge of meeting high expectations and can be especially disappointing if they fall short.

Disappointing movie sequels were aplenty in the 2010s. As the era of live-action remakes took off, studios looked to their existing IP for easy-to-produce movies. However, some sequels were not uncalled for but simply failed to live up to expectations. Whether sequels like this came a year or 20 years later, they faced the challenge of continuing a great story but lacked the quality or gravitas of their predecessors. Legacy sequels have to contend with decades of anticipation, making them all the more disappointing if they are not good.

That is not to say that unnecessary sequels are not typically the ones that fail. However, the...

Neon's mysterious horror film trailer has created suspense and excitement among fans of the genre online. The teaser is arguably for the film Longlegs, and it showcases a clever and atmospheric marketing approach. If this proves to be Longlegs, the film features Nicolas Cage portraying a serial killer.

“Every year there is another.” That’s the tagline accompanying Neon’s mysterious new horror film trailer, which dropped on social media. Yes, the company is being very cryptic about the nameless movie in the 37-second teaser, which is currently haunting the internet with its mystifying footage. But the majority of genre fans are reacting positively to the suspenseful marketing ploy. Check out the brand-new video below:

After viewing the footage, it’s a safe bet to assume this is Neon’s first teaser for their 2024 horror film Longlegs. After all, the final shot in the trailer is that of a pair of long legs.

Just as movie theaters seemed to finally recover from the pandemic — and the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon augured a new age of bold studio filmmaking — here comes 2024 to (potentially) spoil the party.

It’s not just that studios pushed many potential blockbusters into 2025 amid Hollywood’s labor strikes. It’s that hardly any of the movies still on the calendar appear to have wind at their backs.

Here’s just a sampling of how 2024 could unfold at the box office.

Sure Thing

“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.)

Release date: March 1

Thrill factor: In the time since “Dune: Part One” grossed $402 million globally (which is not nothing; the sci-fi epic debuted simultaneously on HBO Max), Timothée Chalamet only cemented his star power with “Wonka.” And Zendaya actually gets some screen time in the sequel.

Chill factor: The box office has been completely unpredictable post-pandemic. Who would have guessed that “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” would...