Will Smith’s Action-Packed $817M Sci-Fi Is Losing Its Streaming Home in Just 2 Weeks

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Just in time for the Fourth of July, the popular movie starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum will no longer be available on Netflix. It’s being taken off the streaming service at the beginning of next month.

The movie Independence Day will leave Netflix on June 1st. This happens about four months after…

Roland Emmerich directed and co-wrote (with Dean Devlin) the science fiction film Independence Day. The movie depicts a massive alien spacecraft arriving at Earth and devastating cities around the globe, prompting a worldwide counteroffensive led by the United States on July 4th.

Independence Day Cemented Will Smith’s Bankable Star Status

Will Smith stars as Captain Steven Hiller, a U.S. Marine, in Independence Day. Ethan Hawke was first considered for the part, but he declined due to concerns about the script. Smith ultimately landed the role after producers Devlin and Emmerich were impressed with his acting in Six Degrees of Separation.

Following the release of Bad Boys, Independence Day earned over $817 million worldwide, establishing Will Smith as a major box office draw. He solidified this status with the subsequent successes of Men in Black and Enemy of the State.

Although Independence Day was a huge box office success when it came out – becoming the second-highest-grossing film at the time – a sequel wasn’t made right away. It took 20 years for the follow-up film, Independence Day: Resurgence, to finally be released in 2016.

The new film, Resurgence, reunited many original cast members, including Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, Vivica A. Fox, and Robert Loggia. However, Will Smith didn’t return for the sequel because he was busy filming Suicide Squad.

Ultimately, Smith made a good choice. While Suicide Squad was a major success in 2016, Resurgence didn’t perform well at the box office, earning only $390 million worldwide. Combined with bad reviews, this led 20th Century Fox to cancel any plans for a sequel.

Will Smith Is Plotting Another Acting Comeback

I remember when Will Smith seemed to be taking a break from leading roles, really between 2008 and 2014. Then came Suicide Squad, and it felt like a real comeback for him. That film definitely opened doors, leading to more Bad Boys movies – which were great to see! – and then, of course, King Richard. That performance was incredible, and rightfully earned him the Best Actor Oscar. It’s been fantastic to watch his career resurgence.

After a break from acting since 2024, Smith is planning a return to the screen. He’s currently working on several big projects, including and .

Will Smith has a deal with Paramount for future projects, but he’s also working on a new movie at Amazon MGM Studios. David Gordon Green is directing the film, which follows two FBI agents as they investigate a murder inside a maximum-security prison. Smith will play one of the agents, and they are currently looking for an actor to play the other.

Independence Day will leave Netflix on June 1.

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2026-05-18 22:06