In the first look at the film that’s actually focusing on the characters instead of pure action, this new Independence Day: Resurgence trailer actually tells us what’s been going on in the last 20 years since we first welcomed the aliens to Earth.
We hear President Lanford (Sela Ward) give a speech about the anniversary, and she’s good and all. But she’s still no President Whitmore (Bill Pullman), who proves at the end of the trailer that he’s still the one to turn to for a big dramatic moment. David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) praises the only person missing from this little reunion — Will Smith’s Steven Hiller — to Hiller’s stepson. (Who, it seems, will also give an inspirational speech.)
We also find out why the aliens are coming back with even bigger ships this time — a distress call’s been pinging into space. I’m hoping that it recently went off and not that a mysterious signal has been going off for 20 years and no one noticed.
And while Goldblum gets the best line in the trailer with “They like to get the landmarks,” the best part in my mind is the completely ridiculous appearance of Dr Brakish Okun (Brent Spiner).
I assume the scarf hides a giant bloody scar from where the alien in the original wrapped his tentacles around his throat. He was used as a literal puppet and he’s still all full of weird and creepy glee about the aliens. Also, he should totally be dead, but who cares? He’s Brakish Okun, the real hero of this story.