Independence Day (1996): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Independence Day is a 1996 action thriller directed by Roland Emmerich, starring Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Will Smith. It runs 2 hours 25 minutes and earned $817.4 million worldwide on a $75 million budget. It won 1 Oscar, including Visual Effects, and 2 awards in all. Critics gave it 59 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 25m (145 min)
- Director
- Roland Emmerich
- Original language
-
English - Budget
- $75M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Independence Day About?
The premise of Independence Day without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Massive alien spacecraft appear over major cities around the world, triggering global panic and widespread devastation. As humanity faces imminent destruction, a diverse group of survivors, including a former fighter pilot and a brilliant computer programmer, unite to fight back against the invaders. They must find a way to exploit the aliens' vulnerability and launch a coordinated attack to save Earth from total annihilation in this action-packed science fiction spectacle.
Independence Day Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- exotic dancer
- product placement
- fourth of july
- saving the world mission
- alien invasion
- alien contact
- invasion of earth
- vomiting
- despair
- trailer home
- trailer park
- 1990s
+38 more Show fewer
- alien
- alien technology
- giant shadow
- area 51
- independence day
- aerial combat
- aerial battle
- air force base
- alien autopsy
- fictional war
- mass destruction
- aeronautics
- chess
- major
- patriotism
- vietnam war veteran
- battlefield
- disaster film
- bombardment
- reference to elvis presley
- parachute
- good versus evil
- nurse
- sabotage
- showdown
- final showdown
- famous line
- loss of mother
- nuclear weapons
- mushroom cloud
- destruction
- radar
- time bomb
- camouflage
- bald man
- bearded bald man
- bath robe
- brunette
Independence Day Cast
Jeff Goldblum leads the cast, with Bill Pullman and Will Smith. Directed by Roland Emmerich; 4 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Roland Emmerich
More from Roland Emmerich
More films directed by Roland Emmerich, best-rated first: The Patriot, Stargate, Anonymous and White House Down.
Independence Day Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Independence Day 59 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.
-
IMDb 7.0 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 59 Metascore
User score 7.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 69% User score
See on TMDB
Independence Day Plot Summary
What happens in Independence Day from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
On July 2nd, a momentous occasion unfolds as we revisit the iconic speech of Neil Armstrong at the Apollo 11 landing site on the Moon. However, the atmosphere swiftly shifts as the once tranquil lunar landscape begins to experience unusual disturbances—the footprints vibrate and dissolve, casting a shadow over the surface. An enormous mothership, over 550 kilometers wide and weighing a quarter of the Moon, emerges from its place above and sends numerous smaller vessels, each at 24 kilometers in diameter, toward Earth.
Full summary
The whole story of Independence Day, scene by scene
Independence Day Box Office & Budget
Independence Day grossed $817.4 million worldwide on a $75 million budget, 11 times what it cost. $306.2 million came from the US and Canada and $511.2 million (63%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$817.4M
11× its budget
- US & Canada
- $306.2M
- International
- $511.2M
- Budget
- $75M
Independence Day Awards & Nominations
Independence Day won 1 Oscar, including Visual Effects, and 2 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Saturn Awards 1997, with 1 win from 5 nominations.
2 wins10 nominations4 ceremonies
-
Saturn Awards 1997 1 win · 5 nominations- Won Best Director – Roland Emmerich
- Nominated Best Actor – Jada Pinkett Smith
- Nominated Best Performance by a Younger Actor
- Nominated Best Supporting Actor – Brent Spiner
- Nominated Best Supporting Actress
-
Oscars 1997 1 win · 2 nominations- Won Visual Effects
- Nominated Sound
-
BAFTA 1997 2 nominations- Nominated Best Sound
- Nominated Best Special Visual Effects
- Saturn Awards 1996 1 nomination
- Nominated Best Actor – Jeff Goldblum and Jada Pinkett Smith
Independence Day Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 2 trailers, 1 teaser and 1 featurette.
- Trailer Independence Day (1996) - Trailer #2 HD 1080p
- Teaser Independence Day (1996) - Teaser Trailer #2 HD 1080p
- Featurette Does Independence Day (1996) Still Hold Up?
How Well Do You Know Independence Day?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What historical event is referenced at the beginning of Independence Day?
Cars in Independence Day
107 cars on screen, including the Honda S90 and the International Harvester Loadstar.
-
Honda S90 Important role -
International Harvester Loadstar Important role -
1962 Plymouth Savoy Important role -
1969 Winnebago D-22 Important role
Independence Day Also Known As
32 alternative titles, including “ID4” and “Independence Day 3D”.
- Also known as
-
- ID4
- Independence Day 3D
- A függetlenség napja
- インデペンデンス・デイ
- Independence Day: 1
- ID4：星際終結者
- 独立日
- Deň nezávislosti
- День независимости
- Independence day – Maailmojen sota
- Dia da Independência
- Ημέρα Ανεξαρτησίας
+20 more Show fewer
- Dzień Niepodległości
- Den nezávislosti
- Kurtuluş Günü
- ไอดี 4 สงครามวันดับโลก
- Дан независности
- היום השלישי
- День незалежності
- Денят на независимостта
- Ziua Independenței
- 인디펜던스 데이
- Le jour de l'indépendance
- El Día de la Independencia
- Iseseisvuspäev
- Dan nezavisnosti
- Nepriklausomybės diena
- Dan neodvisnosti
- Neatkarības diena
- 天煞地球反擊戰
- Ngày Độc Lập
- روز استقلال, დამოუკიდებლობის დღე
Seen Independence Day?
Movies Like Independence Day
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Independence Day: Resurgence, Independence Day: The ID4 Invasion and Alien Species.
Independence Day FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Independence Day, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Independence Day?
Independence Day runs 2 hours 25 minutes (145 minutes).
When was Independence Day released?
Independence Day was released on July 3, 1996.
Who directed Independence Day?
Independence Day was directed by Roland Emmerich.
More films by Roland Emmerich Who is in the cast of Independence Day?
Independence Day stars Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Will Smith, among 4 credited actors.
How much did Independence Day make at the box office?
Independence Day grossed $817.4 million worldwide ($306.2 million domestic, $511.2 million international) on a budget of $75 million.
How is Independence Day rated?
Independence Day has 7.0/10 on IMDb, 59 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.
What awards did Independence Day win?
Independence Day won 2 awards from 10 nominations, including Best Director at the Saturn Awards 1997.
Does Independence Day have a post-credit scene?
No. Independence Day has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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