It's not even 2016 yet, and already the movie that will no doubt be the biggest of the upcoming year has got me super excited. Of course, I'm talking about Independence Day: Resurgence, which will finally come out next year — two decades after the original Independence Day was released in 1996. I can tell already that the sequel will be quite a thrill ride, thanks to the Independence Day: Resurgence trailer, which finally dropped on Sunday for everyone's viewing pleasure. The clip contains everything you'd want in an Independence Day sequel: impending doom, large alien aircrafts, and, of course, Jeff Goldblum.
The actor, who played David Levinson in the original film, isn't the only returnee of the bunch. Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch, and Bill Pullman will be reprising their roles 20 years later in the sequel. Die hard Independence Day will notice there's one big name missing from that list: Will Smith, who unequivocally became a bona fide movie star when he punched an alien in the original film. Seriously, I believe that is the one moment that launched Smith — at the time a sitcom actor on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — into the movie star we know and love today. Welcome to Earth, indeed.
Spoiler alert: If you want to know what happened to Smith's Col. Steven Hiller, visit Independence Day: Resurgence's website War Of 1996, which reveals Hiller's fate (and why he's not back for the sequel). Alas, a slew of new actors will welcome the aliens to earth in the sequel: Sela Ward, Liam Hemsworth, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe, and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It should be yet another Independence Day to remember, and these trailer moments have me very excited.
1. When Jeff Goldblum Walks Out Of The Shadows
And you realize that this is it, this is really the Independence Day sequel trailer. David is back.
2. When Liam Hemsworth Makes An Appearance
Proof that this is a 2016 movie and you didn't accidentally stumble upon the original Independence Day trailer on YouTube.
3. When You See The Planes Fly Out
Humans are ready to fight and, thankfully, they've made significant advances in special effects in the past two decades.
4. When Bill Pullman Has That Beard
The former President Thomas J. Whitmore makes a blink-or-you'll-miss-it appearance in the trailer, declaring that he still sees the aliens in his dreams and he knows they're coming back. Spooky.
5. When You Realize Judd Hirsch Is Back
Julius Levinson is still around and he now has a boat — but it won't protect him from the aliens.
6. When You See Dylan Dubrow-Hiller Is All Grown Up
Jasmine's son (played by Jessie Usher) is mighty fine and seems to have followed the same career path as his step-dad — fighting aliens.
7. When The Famous Speech From The Original Narrates The Rest Of The Trailer
It's a speech that shall live in cinema infamy.
8. When Vivica A. Fox Chases After A Helicopter
She's back! And it looks like she's got important, urgent alien business.
9. When The Giant Alien Space Ship Approaches
David tells Hemsworth's character, "That is definitely bigger than the last one." Meaning: this sequel is going to be bigger and better than audiences ever imagined. And it only took 20 years to get it.
Check out the trailer for yourself below.
Images: 20th Century Fox (screenshot); 20th Century Fox/Mallory Carra/Bustle (GIFs).
