Independence Day 2 plot and cast: Will Smith out, Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch in for another alien-human war

Independence Day 2 is finally happening after a gap of almost 20 years and fans will be able to see almost all of their favourite characters from the previous movie except Will Smith's Captain Steven Hiller.

The movie will be directed by Roland Emmerich, who helmed the first movie in the franchise. Recently, Emmerich declared that almost all of the original cast will return for the second instalment of the 1996 American science fiction disaster film.

Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch will return to the sequel to reprise their roles as Thomas J Whitmore and Julius Levinson respectively. Their return was confirmed by movie director Emmerich's tweet.

Vivica A Fox, who played the character of single mother Jasmine, has already confirmed that she will return to the movie. Jeff Goldblum David is also returning as the MIT graduate David Levinson in the movie.

In the previous movie, Jasmine is married to Captain Steve but with Smith declining to reprise his role, it will be interesting to see how the director fills the void for Steve and Jasmine's romance.

There are reports that the next movie in the sequel will be titled ID Forever and will narrate another war saga between the extraterrestrials and humans.

According to On Location Vacation website, "a new wave of alien 'reinforcements' arrives on earth in response to a distress signal sent up by the 'first wave' of extraterrestrial visitors."

Dean Devlin, James Vanderbilt, James A Woods and Nicolas Wright are co-writing the movie along with Emmerich. The filming for Independence Day 2 begins next month as it is set to premiere on 24 June next year.