The 1990s were a golden age for science fiction on the big screen, from The Matrix to Galaxy Quest. But no film defined the decade's blockbuster ambition quite like Roland Emmerich's Independence Day. Netflix subscribers have only until May 31 to stream this iconic spectacle before it departs the service.
Independence Day follows humanity's desperate fight against an alien race called the Harvesters, who arrive in city-sized spaceships and begin obliterating landmarks. What sets it apart is Emmerich's commitment to maximum scale: the ships are colossal, the weapons are devastating, and the stakes are nothing less than Earth's survival. The cast is equally massive, featuring Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman.
How 'Independence Day' Changed Blockbuster Filmmaking
The movie was born from a casual question during a press tour for Emmerich's earlier film Stargate. When asked if he believed aliens built the pyramids, Emmerich joked about a spaceship the size of a football field arriving on Earth—and immediately knew he had his next project. He and co-writer Dean Devlin wrote the script in under a month and sold it to Fox.
But the road to release wasn't smooth. Emmerich had to fight to keep the title Independence Day and its July 4 release date, especially after learning Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! was also in production. As he told The Hollywood Reporter, he insisted: "It stays Independence Day. It will be released on Independence Day." His gamble paid off: the film became the highest-grossing movie of 1996.
The film's influence extended far beyond the box office. It was one of the first movies to air a Super Bowl ad, and its use of massive set pieces—like the unforgettable destruction of the White House—reshaped how blockbusters are made. It also launched Will Smith into superstardom, earning him the nickname "Mr. 4th of July" for his string of holiday weekend hits.
30 Years Later, a Singular Achievement
A sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, arrived in 2016, set 20 years after the original. Despite reuniting most of the cast (minus Will Smith), it failed to recapture the magic. Yet the original remains a touchstone. Even modern films like Predator: Badlands have paid homage, featuring a Harvester skull in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo.
For sci-fi fans, this is a last chance to watch a piece of movie history. If you're looking for more hidden gems on Netflix, check out our list of Forgotten Netflix Gems That Are Perfect From Start to Finish. And for more hard sci-fi recommendations, see The Most Realistic Hard Sci-Fi Movies Ever Made, Ranked.
Don't miss your chance to revisit one of the greatest sci-fi blockbusters ever made. Independence Day leaves Netflix on May 31.
