As of now, there is no official confirmation or release of a film titled “Independence Day 3” scheduled for 2026, nor is there an official trailer featuring Will Smith. The future of the “Independence Day” franchise remains uncertain due to several factors.
Director Roland Emmerich has expressed interest in continuing the series and has developed a story for a potential third installment. However, he has indicated that the decision now rests with Disney, following its acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Emmerich stated, “Disney now has the decision to make it, which is even worse, you know, because they never ever did my deal.”
The 2016 sequel, “Independence Day: Resurgence,” did not perform as well as expected, both critically and commercially. It garnered a 30% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earned approximately $389.6 million worldwide against a production budget of $165 million. This underperformance has contributed to the hesitation in moving forward with a third film.
Will Smith, who played a pivotal role in the original 1996 film, did not return for the 2016 sequel. His absence was felt by fans, and his character was written out of the storyline. Emmerich has noted that Smith’s character died in the second film, which would complicate his return in any future installments.
In summary, while there is interest from the original creators in continuing the “Independence Day” franchise, there are currently no official plans for a third film. Factors such as the performance of the previous sequel, the involvement of key actors, and corporate decisions following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox all play a role in the uncertainty surrounding “Independence Day 3.”
