Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
Twenty years after a devastating alien invasion, humanity must face a new threat while utilizing repurposed alien technology.
The story
Twenty years after the War of 1996, the United Nations has established the Earth Space Defense (ESD), a global defense program utilizing reverse-engineered alien technology to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats. While the world enjoys a period of relative peace, the ESD maintains a vast network of bases and orbital defenses. The conflict intensifies when an unidentified spherical ship emerges from a wormhole near the Moon. Despite warnings, the ship is intercepted, leading to the discovery of a mysterious container. When a massive alien mothership suddenly appears and begins to drill toward Earth's core, the ESD must decide how to counter the looming threat to the planet's survival.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the 1996 war, the Earth Space Defense (ESD) uses reverse-engineered alien tech to protect Earth. When a mysterious spherical ship appears near the Moon, the ESD recovers a container from its wreckage. This triggers the arrival of a massive alien mothership that begins drilling toward Earth's core. Scientists and military leaders discover that some humans are telepathically linked to the alien hivemind. After a failed initial assault, the ESD discovers the aliens are controlled by a 'Queen.' A secret sphere containing a virtual intelligence is revealed to be a refuge for other species. The film culminates in a desperate battle where the ESD uses a decoy to trap the Queen's ship. President Thomas Whitmore sacrifices himself in a suicide mission to destroy the enemy ship. The Queen is eventually destroyed, and the mothership retreats. The sphere then offers humanity the opportunity to lead a resistance against the 'Harvesters'.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Roland Emmerich
- Writers
- Nicolas Wright · screenplay; James A. Woods · screenplay; Dean Devlin · screenplay; Roland Emmerich · screenplay; James Vanderbilt · screenplay; Dean Devlin · story; Roland Emmerich · story; Nicolas Wright · story; James A. Woods · story
- Cast and characters
- Liam Hemsworth · Jake Morrison; Jeff Goldblum · David Levinson; Bill Pullman · President Thomas J. Whitmore; Maika Monroe · Patricia Whitmore; Jessie T. Usher · Dylan Hiller; Travis Tope · Charlie Miller; William Fichtner · General Joshua T. Adams; Charlotte Gainsbourg · Dr. Catherine Marceaux; Judd Hirsch · Julius Levinson; Brent Spiner · Dr. Brackish Okun; Sela Ward · President Elizabeth Lanford; Angelababy · Rain Lao
- Genres
- science fiction; action
- Themes
- survival; collaboration; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; spectacular
- Premise and plot tags
- alien invasion; space exploration; military defense
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized the lack of screenplay, its plot, and lack of emotional depth but praised the visual effects. It was considered a financial disappointment.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 29% · scale: percentage · review count: 231; Metacritic · score: 32 · scale: 100 · review count: 40; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Lead and The Love Interest Award · Alliance of Women Film Journalists · 2016 · Nomination; Remake or Sequel That Shouldn't Have Been Made · Alliance of Women Film Journalists · 2016 · Nomination; Worst Film · Houston Film Critics Society · 2016 · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was originally intended to feature Will Smith's character as alive, but his absence forced a script rewrite.; The production avoided filming in India or showing Indian monuments damaged to avoid potential protests.; The film's title was chosen from options including Returns, Retaliation, Rises, and Requiem.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…