Independence Day Resurgence: What happened to Will Smith's Colonel Steven Hiller?

The much-awaited trailer for Independence Day: Resurgence has been released by 20th Century Fox. As shown in the clips, the sequel is expected to take the human vs alien war to a level where the world appears extremely vulnerable before a gigantic army of extraterrestrials.

While the teaser looks attractive, fans will miss their favourite Colonel Steven Hiller (played by Will Smith) in the movie. The producers have found a unique way to justify his absence in the sequel. 20th Century Fox has launched a viral website named War of 1996 which establishes a timeline beginning from the first movie till the next twenty years and explains the fate of Smith's character before the second attack by the aliens.

"While test piloting the ESD's first alien hybrid fighter, an unknown malfunction causes the untimely death of Col. Hiller. Hiller's valor in the War of '96 made him a beloved global icon whose selfless assault against the alien mothership lead directly to the enemy's defeat. He is survived by his wife Jasmine and his son Dylan," the website adds.

The thriller's official synopsis reads: We always knew they were coming back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens' advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

Resurgence will begin 20 years after the 1996 movie, with most of the original cast reprising their roles. The plot will revolve around revenge since after the massive defeat in the first movie, the aliens will rebound to launch a catastrophic assault on humans.

It remains to be seen how the high octane action scenes laced with a heavy dose of special effects lure fans to the theatres. Independence Day: Resurgence premieres on 24 June 2016. The movie stars Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Brent Spiner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe and Sela Ward in lead roles.