Independence Day was ‘so bad’ star tried to destroy its script | Films | Entertainment

Later today, at 6:20pm on Channel 4, Independence Day will hit TV screens. The legendary alien invasion movie is now known as one of the best action movies of the 1990s, but before it hit the silver screen, Ethan Hawke detested it.

In 1995, 20th Century Fox were excited to bring Hawke on as the film’s main star, Captain Steven Hiller.

At the time in 1996, Hawke was a very successful actor in the film and TV industry. He had recently released his 1994 movie Reality Bites to critical acclaim, so he was well sought after in Hollywood.

But when the script for Independence Day came across his desk, his arrogance got in the way.

“I’m the bee’s knees, right?” Hawke recalled in 2018. “I’m driving cross country with a friend of mine, and I got the script to Independence Day.” He added that he was being offered the leading role in the movie before describing his younger self as a “big shot”.

“There’s, like, dollar bills attached to [the script],” Hawke remembered. But there was one problem – he absolutely hated what he read of the movie.

Hawke recalled going to the cinema that following summer with his girlfriend and a group of pals. It was Independence Day weekend, so they all naturally wanted to go and see the Will Smith movie. Hawke reluctantly agreed, and what he saw unravel in real-time was devastating.

“We walk in and it’s sold out,” he remembered. Before adding that the ET joke he laughed at essentially received a “standing ovation”. After the film ended, he asked his girlfriend: “It wasn’t that good, was it?”

Hawke’s unnamed girlfriend replied: “It was really good.”

He no doubt felt even worse about his decision when he saw the box office returns for the film.

Independence Day was made on a $75 million budget but it made more than $815 million. Smith, the actor who eventually took Hawke’s character, earned a whopping $5 million.

The film wasn’t just adored by audiences, however. The critics praised the film as well. After becoming the second-highest-grossing film ever made (at the time), it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Sound, while it won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

20 years later a sequel was released – Independence Day: Resurgence. Once again, Hawke was not involved in the film’s production. And once again, it was very successful at the box office. This time around it starred Liam Hemsworth and made $389 million at the box office.

Independence Day is available to stream on Disney Plus now.