Independence Day: Resurgence hits theaters in 2016, just in time to commemorate the 20th anniversary of filmmaker Roland Emmerich’s original alien invasion blockbuster. The Independence Day sequel will feature a mixture of returning characters from its predecessor (save for Will Smith’s Steven Hiller) and new characters, as the arrival of a second (and even more massive) wave of extraterrestrial invaders forces the people of Earth to again band together in order to save the planet from oblivion.

Resurgence, similar to the recent release of Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, is envisioned as the beginning of a new era for the Independence Day franchise; one that include not only a trilogy of movie sequels, but also tie-in material that maintain continuity with these films (video games, comic books, and so forth). The first of those multi-platform releases will arrive in the form of a comic book series, which goes on sale a few months before Resurgence opens in theaters.

Independence Day: Resurgence picks up in real-time after the events of the first Independence Day movie, with humanity having not only rebuilt civilizations around the world, but also developed a global defense program that harnesses the aliens’ technology - with David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) onboard as the program’s director - to protect the planet from any potential future extraterrestrial attacks. The Independence Day comic book series will thus help bridge the story gap between the original film and Resurgence, in turn.

Comic book author Victor Gischler (X-Men: Curse of the Mutants, Deadpool Corps) is serving as the writer and comic book illustrator Steve Scott (Batman, X-Men Forever) will provide the artwork for the Independence Day comic book series. Here is the synopsis and cover art for the first issue of the series (which launches on March 2nd, 2016):

“As our world unites against invaders from beyond the stars, beneath the Atlantic Ocean, another mysterious craft prompts a top-secret investigation by the US military, one which could prove the key to humanity’s survival… or its ultimate destruction.”

The second issue of the Independence Day comic book arrives on March 23rd, 2016 and is summarized as follows (with cover artwork featured below):

“With fear and suspicion running rife aboard the sub, Adams prepares to embark the alien vessel in search of answers. But how will its extraterresterial crew react to unwanted visitors onboard?”

Most of the new franchise cast additions in Resurgence - including, Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games), Maika Monroe (It Follows), and Jessie Usher (Survivor’s Remorse) - are simply too young for their characters to be referenced or included in any significant capacity in the Independence Day tie-in comic book series, seeing as the story picks up not long after the events of the original movie.

Some of the established Independence Day characters could at least be mentioned though, as could some of the older new additions in Resurgence - case in point: the Adams mentioned in the Issue #2 synopsis could refer to the younger version of William Fitchner’s General Adams from the ID4 sequel. Steven Hiller can plausibly show up at some point in these comic books too, seeing as they will take place well before 2007 - which is when Hiller is killed while testing out a Hybrid Fighter craft, according to the franchise canon.

Of course, whether or not the Independence Day multi-platform property continues after Resurgence will depend more on how filmgoers take to the mythos and new characters who are introduced in that installment, more than anything else. If moviegoers takes to new players in Resurgence the way they have to new additions in The Force Awakens, though, then Fox’s larger plans for the Independence Day franchise may yet come to fruition.

The first issue of the Independence Day tie-in comic books goes on sale March 2nd, 2016. Independence Day: Resurgence opens in theaters a few months later on June 24th, 2016.

Source: Titan Comics [via CS]