10 Iconic Movie Characters Weirdly REPLACED In Movie Sequels

Though Roland Emmerich's iconic alien invasion blockbuster Independence Day is elevated considerably by its brilliant ensemble cast, there's no denying that Marine pilot Steven Hiller (Will Smith) is the absolute star of the show.

Smith just drips charisma and likeability throughout, and so when the belated sequel finally began to coalesce almost 20 years later, there was a fair expectation that he would be returning.

But Smith ultimately opted not to return, either due to a salary dispute or scheduling conflicts depending upon who you believe, and so he was replaced with Hiller's now-grown stepson Dylan (Jessie Usher).

Unsurprisingly replacing the first film's star attraction with a stepson character who the audience had basically zero emotional attachment to - and whose actor patently lacked Smith's overpowering charm - was a recipe for disaster.

As if this didn't leave a sour enough taste, Emmerich made the drastic decision to have Steven be killed off-screen, closing the door on the character completely rather than keeping the possibility open for Smith's return in future movies.

Resurgence was ultimately a major commercial disappointment, and an undeniably big part of the reason for this was the absence of Smith's larger-than-life persona.