'Independence Day 3' news: Third installment to be an 'intergalactic journey,' director reveals

It took "Independence Day: Resurgence" director Roland Emmerich 20 years to make a sequel to his 1996 epic sci-fi blockbuster "Independence Day," so the fact that he recently revealed plans for a third installment in the franchise has surprised many.

In an interview with Empire earlier this month, Emmerich revealed that there are plans for another entry in the "Independence Day" film series and that he already has some parts of the upcoming film in mind.

"The next one will be an intergalactic journey," he said. "It'll be [set] maybe a year or two later, not 20 years [on]."

According to the "Resurgence" director, he intends on developing the third film around the main cast members of the second film, which include Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Jessie Usher, Bill Pullman, Maika Monroe, and Sela Ward.

"I want to maintain this group of people, especially the young characters, and Jeff [Goldblum] and Brent [Spiner] will take part in it," Emmerich said. "It'll be fun to keep that group together."

As for how a potential "Independence Day 3" will pick up from the second film, he said, "I imagine them now going in one of these ships they've rebuilt into a wormhole."

"I think it'll be the classic of going into space but it has to be about Earth, and we have a really good idea for that," he explained.

When asked if he will be helming the third film as well, Emmerich said yes, adding that he would never let another director do it.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Emmerich had originally intended "Independence Day" as a one-off, but reconsidered when he realized how influential the film had become over the years. After being repeatedly asked by 20th Century Fox to make a sequel, the director eventually agreed to do it.

"Independence Day: Resurgence" is now in theaters.