'Independence Day' Sequel Won't Include Will Smith – He's Too Expensive

Killing aliens in an "Independence Day" sequel is officially not in Will Smith's price range, according to director Roland Emmerich, who said a planned a two-part sequel to the 1996 hit will move on without one of its original stars.

"Will Smith cannot come back because he's too expensive, but he'd also be too much of a marquee name," Emmerich told the New York Daily News. "It would be too much. We have like maybe half of the people that you know from the first film (in the script) and the other half people who are new."

Urgent: Should the NSA Spy on Americans? Vote Here Now.

Emmerich made the comments to the Daily News while promoting his current film "White House Down," which will hit theaters on Friday.

The new "Independence Day" film is slated for release on July 3, 2015, by 20th Century Fox, the director told the Daily News. Emmerich said it will be the first of a two-part story, with the working title "ID Forever, Part I" and "Part II." The original "Independence Day" made $817.4 million at the box office.

Screenwriter James Vanderbilt, who is connected with "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Zodiac," is editing the original script, the Daily News said.

"We're not doing a total reboot," Emmerich said to the Daily News. "We're doing something that's totally unusual."

Actors Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum are confirmed to be returning to the project, according to Collider.com.

The website pointed out 2015 is starting to get crowded with potential sequel blockbusters. Marvel's "The Avengers 2," "Pirates of the Caribbean 5," "Jurassic Park 4," and a possible sequel to the current "Man of Steel" could all find themselves fighting for box office supremacy in 2015, according to Collider.com.

"Independence Day" is one of the movies that made Smith an A-list movie star, but that luster took a big hit this summer when his current movie "After Earth," which also stars his son Jaden Smith, failed to generate even a blip at the box office. According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, "After Earth" has made $57.3 million domestically while costing $130 million to make.

The movie, though, had made up for its U.S. performance overseas, making $114.2 million on foreign soil.

Editor's Note: Get the Navy SEALs Cap – Celebrate Our Heroes

Related stories:

Scientology May Hurt Will Smith Film

Will Smith 'Django Unchained' Rejection: Turned Down Role, Wanted to Lead