INDEPENDENCE DAY Being Theatrically Re-released In 3D Next Summer! And More News From Fox...

Very cool information released from Fox today that affects us in many ways! First of all the big news is that Roland Emmerich's INDEPENDENCE DAY will be re-released in 3D on July 3, 2013. Despite some overly patriotic scenes, I simply loved the movie. Heck any movie with Jeff Goldblum in I love, but throw in some Will Smith and you've got a blockbuster. 

There has been rumors for years about a potential sequel to the alien invasion movie (oops spoilers!) and with this conversion investment it seems that Fox is getting serious about the property once again. Will we see another installment eventually? Perhaps we'll know more by the time next summer rolls around.

I'm going to give you the official press release next and you can see how these announcements could affect 3D in a big way. Conceivably, 7 out of the 9 movies talked about could be in 3D! Read on...

Here's the PR (emphasis is mine):

On the heels of the $344 million worldwide success of TITANIC 3D, the studio and director Roland Emmerich, in conjunction with Stereo 3D, which did the work on TITANIC, will produce a top quality 3D version of the iconic INDEPENDENCE DAY. ID43D will be released worldwide on July 3, 2013.

The studio also staked its 2014 summer with three giant tentpoles. First up, Fox, together with Disney and Dreamworks, has shifted the release of Steven Spielberg’s epic ROBOPOCALYPSE to go worldwide on April 25, 2014, the same weekend that “Avengers” was released internationally this year. Disney distributes domestically. (ID43D now occupies its former release date.)

Then on Memorial Day (May 23, 2014), Fox unleashes DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES worldwide, the sequel to the $483 million grossing RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Rupert Wyatt, who helmed the 2011 smash, returns to direct. The returning producers are Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

And on July 18, 2014, Fox releases worldwide the third of its summer tentpoles, the currently untitled X-MEN, to be directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Fox also announced its Christmas 2013 line-up, with THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, starring Ben Stiller and Kristin Wiig, and directed by Ben Stiller, set for Christmas Day. Samuel Goldwyn, John Goldwyn, Stuart Cornfeld and Ben Stiller produce the film.

Also for Christmas, the studio will shift WALKING WITH DINOSAURS from October 11 to December 20, 2013. The film is based on the massively successful TV series and live show, which has grossed more than $250 million in box office worldwide.

Other 2013 dates include the following: PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS, based on Rick Riordan’s publishing phenomenon, goes out August 16, 2013, moving from March 15. And Fox earlier announced that Beyoncé Knowles would headline the voice cast of EPIC, in theaters May 24, 2013, from the makers of “Ice Age” and “Rio.” The film was previously known as “Leafmen.” Also joining the cast are Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Knoxville, Aziz Ansari, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler, Blake Anderson and Judah Friedlander.

Lastly, an as-yet-untitled comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, directed by Paul Feig (BRIDESMAIDS) will land in theaters April 5, 2013.

So what do you think? With THE AVENGERS slaughter of the box office in tandem with the pending release of PROMETHEUS why would Fox not want to augment their films with some glorious 3D? Heck all of them could go 3D, but comedy has not fully embraced it yet.

Indeed, I'm looking for a trailblazing, cutting edge comedic director to step up and deliver the goods! I thought Todd Phillips was the man after I asked him about THE HANGOVER 2 conceivably going 3D, but he let me down without further consulting me! :-)