Stars of Independence Day: Resurgence touch down in Dubai

Liam Hemsworth talks about his role in Independence Day: Resurgence at a press conference in Dubai. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Moviegoers in Dubai had a surprise on Saturday when Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldlum, stars of the long-awaited sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, stopped by the Vox cinema at Mall of the Emirates, in association with du Tuesdays, to meet the press and show some of the latest footage from the film to invited guests.

They were joined by the film’s director, Roland Emmerich, who hinted that he might be back soon to film scenes for his upcoming big-screen reboot of another of his best-known films.

Resurgence, which will be released locally here on the first day of Eid, already had a local connection – the previously released trailer shows the Burj Khalifa being ripped from the ground by the invading aliens and used as a missile to destroy London.

Emmerich revealed that he had hoped to come to Dubai and shoot longer scenes there, but budget constraints ultimately dictated that the scenes be created with CGI –but he hinted that he may shoot there in the future.

“You have all these great desert scenes, but also very good hotels,” he says. “That’s kind of more important because with these Hollywood people, they’re more like, ‘So how’s the hotel?’

"I'm working on a reboot for [Emmerich's 1994 sci-fi hit] Stargate which is maybe more kind of desert-bound than Independence Day is."

The stars were under tight security as they made their whirlwind visit as part of the international publicity tour for Resurgence – they headed straight from the cinema to the airport to catch a plane for the next leg in London. Although the visit to Dubai was brief, Emmerich noted that he'd had time for at least one slightly strange experience – they were staying at the Burj Khalifa.

“That was kind of weird,” he says. “Sleeping in a hotel I’d just blown up on screen – but it wasn’t the weirdest ever. I once watched the original movie in The White House, and watched The White House explode from inside The White House. That was even more surreal. Last night was a close second, though.”

Hunger Games star Hemsworth, a newcomer to the Independence Day saga, offered some details about his character.

“I play Jake Morrison, who lost his parents in the first attack, grew up in an orphanage and joined the military when he was old enough,” he says. “He becomes a fighter pilot and ends up in the elite squadron – but he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and has a rivalry with Dillon Hiller, who is the son of Steven Hiller [Will Smith’s now-deceased character from the first movie]. He makes a bad decision and almost gets Dylan killed, so he gets his wings clipped and gets sent to the moon where he now works in a moon tug, kind of like a forklift lorry, doing maintenance.”

Goldblum said that, despite the 20-year gap since the release of the original film in 1996, he was confident fans would enjoy the long-gestating sequel.

“It just got finished a week ago,” he reveals. “Not many people have seen it at all, but I’m one of the lucky ones and I think you might like it.

“In fact I really think you’ll love it.”

• Independence Day: Resurgence is due for release in the UAE on the first day of Eid Al Fitr (expected to be on or about July 6). Watch out for our interviews with Goldblum, Hemsworth and Emmerich in Arts& Life nearer the time