Will ‘too expensive’ for sequel

Will Smith won’t be in Independence Day 2.

The After Earth actor was one of the lead stars in the 1996 original movie – which grossed a massive $817-million worldwide – but he is unlikely to reprise his role in the follow-up film, which is due for release in 2015, because of his price tag.

Director Roland Emmerich said: "Will Smith cannot come back because he’s too expensive."

As well as being too pricey for the flick’s budget, Emmerich insists the A-list star is too big a name for his movie – in which he plans to cast mostly unknown actors.

He explained: "But he’d also be too much of a marquee name. It would be too much. We have like maybe half of the people that you know would know from the first film [in the script] and the other half people who are new."

Since finding fame through his TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and sci-fi comedy franchise Men in Black, Smith has become one of Hollywood’s elite stars and regularly commands $20-million for movie roles.

Although Emmerich has ruled out Smith for a role in the movie, it’s thought his Independence Day co-stars Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum may appear in the sequel.

20th Century Fox recently confirmed the film’s release for 3 July 2015 – 19 years after the first film.

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