Sci-Fi Disaster Film Hailed As "Best Of All Time" Returns As Explosive Netflix Hit 30 Years Later

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Destruction of New York City in Independence Day

Published Feb 5, 2026, 9:33 AM EST

Abigail is an editor for ScreenRant, currently writing and editing movie news. You may also have seen her thoughts on animated television, musical theater, and fantasy literature in Paste Magazine, Fantasy Hive, or The Oxford Blue. She has also written SR lists and op-eds covering movies, TV, and books as well. She is an English major through and through, having graduated with a B.A. from UC Santa Barbara and an MPhil from Oxford University.

A bona fide classic in multiple genres and careers has now blown up on streaming.

Considered to be one of the best disaster movies ever, Independence Day immediately became a blockbuster hit when it came out in 1996. The sci-fi disaster movie stars Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman as a Marine captain, a satellite technician, and the president, respectively, who must confront an impending alien invasion that will destroy the Earth.

The movie's cast also includes Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, and more. Especially famous for its depiction of the destruction of the White House, audiences can revisit Independence Day on Netflix, and many already are. Independence Day is currently the no. 6 movie on Netflix's Top 10 Movies in the U.S. Today chart, proving its enduring popularity 30 years after its original theatrical release.

Presently, The Investigation of Lucy Letby, Copshop, and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates are among the titles ranking above Independence Day. The Netflix Original The Rip is still trending at no. 8, while 2025 releases KPop Demon Hunters and Honey Don't are at no. 9 and no. 10 for U.S. audiences. However, Independence Day stands apart here as a certified classic action movie.

Captain Steven Hiller and David Levinson back-to-back in Independence Day.

Independence Day was the highest-grossing film of 1996, with a worldwide box office total of $817 million. It received generally good reviews, currently holding a Rotten Tomatoes score of 69%, but it primarily nailed the fun appeal of an action blockbuster. Its release was also timed for July 3, leading into the Fourth of July weekend. Today, Independence Day is still a top movie choice to watch on July 4.

Independence Day did eventually get a sequel: 2016's Independence Day: Resurgence, for which director Roland Emmerich returned. Despite featuring some new popular stars like Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe, and Jessie T. Usher, with Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, and Vivica A. Fox reprising their roles (though notably not Will Smith), Independence Day: Resurgence was a major flop.

The legacy sequel has a 28% Tomatometer and a 30% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes; it didn't suffer extreme financial losses, with a worldwide box office total of $389.7 million, but this was against a budget of $165 million. Most of its earnings came from international ticket sales.

Despite this, Independence Day remains a fan-favorite staple of the action, sci-fi, and disaster genres, if the latest streaming data is any indication. Like with many ill-advised sequels, fans may do their best to forget about the disappointing follow-up and focus on history-making hits like this as a standalone feature.