The making of Independence Day at 30: How a blockbuster was born

Origin of the idea

Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin have slightly different memories of how the concept for 'Independence Day' came about, but both agree it started with the image of a massive spaceship hovering over a city. Emmerich recalls explaining the scale at Devlin's home: "All of what you see would be the underside of a spaceship." Devlin, however, remembers a reporter questioning whether aliens built the pyramids during press for 'Stargate,' prompting Emmerich to suggest: "What if we woke up and saw a 15-mile-wide spaceship blotting out the sun?"

Casting and studio battles

The studio initially rejected both Kevin Spacey as the president and Will Smith as the lead. The filmmakers chose Smith and rewrote the president role for Bill Pullman. Emmerich praises the chemistry between Smith and Jeff Goldblum, allowing them to ad-lib dialogue. Smith's first day on set was filming the ending in the desert, immediately proving his star power.

Filming and visual effects

The shoot lasted 72 days—unusually short for such a large film. Many effects were practical, including the White House explosion done with a model. The film won an Oscar for visual effects the following year. Emmerich notes it was a perfect mix of models and CGI.

Aftermath

The film boosted Smith's career and solidified Goldblum's cult status. Emmerich and Devlin later collaborated on 'Godzilla' and 'The Patriot' before parting ways. The 2016 sequel 'Independence Day: Resurgence' was unsatisfying for both, as Smith dropped out last minute to join 'Suicide Squad.'