Will Smith won't star in 'Independence Day' sequels

LOS ANGELES, March 27 (UPI) -- Director Roland Emmerich says he doesn't want Will Smith to headline his two "Independence Day" film sequels because Smith is "too big a star" now.

Smith helped save the world from aliens in the original 1996 picture. The movie co-starred Bill Pullman, Randy Quaid and Jeff Goldblum.

"I don't want to have Will. He's too big for a movie like this. It would be a Will Smith movie," Emmerich told EW.com about the upcoming follow-ups. "It's 'Independence Day.' And 'Independence Day' was always not about one person. It was always a group thing. And [Will] is too big a star."

EW.com said Smith's publicist declined to comment on its story.

"ID Forever Part 1" and "ID Forever Part 2" will take place 20 years after the alien invasion in the original film, the entertainment news website said.