Will Smith turns down ‘Independence Day 2’ (for real this time)

Will Smith has declined the opportunity to star in Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day sequel, Deadline reports.

When the project was first announced, Smith was adamant about not appearing in it.

Then, After Earth flopped, and suddenly he was open to the possibility of revisiting his very first hit film.

Now, some time has passed, and Smith has decided to move on for good.

Independence Day 2 is set to hit cinemas in 2016, twenty years after the first burst onto the scene and grossed more than $800 million.

Screenwriters Dean Devlin and James Vanderbilt penned two scripts – one with Smith’s character, Captain Steven Hiller, and one without – so that they could develop the film at Fox while Smith mulled over his options.

Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman were once set to return for the sequel, but it’s unknown if that is still the case.

Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station) was also rumoured for a key role in the flick.

Here’s hoping that ID2 can make a star out of Jordan just as the first film did for Smith.