Independence Day (1996): cast, story & where to watch
1996 · Film · ★ 6.9
Released in 1996, Independence Day is an action, adventure and science fiction film directed by Roland Emmerich, running about 145 minutes. “The question of whether or not we are alone in the universe has been answered.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. On July 2, a giant alien mothership enters orbit around Earth and deploys several dozen saucer-shaped 'destroyer' spacecraft that quickly lay waste to major cities around the planet. On July 3, the United States conducts a coordinated counterattack that fails. On July 4, a plan is devised to gain access to the interior of the alien mothership in space, in order to plant a nuclear missile.
Who’s in it. Independence Day stars Will Smith as Capt. Steven Hiller, Bill Pullman as President Thomas J. Whitmore, Jeff Goldblum as David Levinson and Mary McDonnell as Marilyn Whitmore, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, Independence Day has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $817.4M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV and Wonder Project Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Independence Day page.
If you liked it. Fans of Independence Day tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Independence Day (1996)?
- In US, Independence Day is available to stream on Hulu, fuboTV and YouTube TV, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Independence Day worth watching?
- Independence Day holds an audience score of 6.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, adventure and science fiction. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Independence Day?
- Independence Day stars Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell and Judd Hirsch.
- When was Independence Day released?
- Independence Day was released in 1996, with a runtime of about 145 minutes.