New ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ Clip Resurrects Dr. Okun, Posters Reveal Landmark Destruction

We knew he was coming back. A newly released clip from the upcoming Independence Day: Resurgence film features Dr. Okun alive and kicking with some clues as to how he is “awake” when he supposedly died 20 years earlier. In an apparent attempt to capitalize on the patriotic mood of the Memorial Day weekend, the IDR marketing team has been kicking it into high gear promoting the man vs. alien sequel by sharing a couple of teasers, and four new movie posters.

Brent Spiner returns as the eccentric Area 51 scientist looking quite rested 20 years after we saw what appeared to be a lifeless Dr. Okun on the ground. It’s not a secret that Spiner is a cast member for Resurgence, but to what capacity? After all, he’s dead, right? Did he survive being possessed and mangled by the alien? Was he resurrected? Is he a humanoid? Is he part of a flashback?

Brent Spiner hasn’t been much help to those looking for answers. In fact, he seems to revel in taunting anyone who inquires.

“It is the resurgence of Dr. Okun, that is why they call this movie Resurgence, that is the whole idea.”

Because Spiner is currently playing the role of a coy comedian, the answers to fans’ questions may be in this clip.

When President Whitmore says, “you’re awake,” it seems as if he is genuinely surprised and happy to see Dr. Okun up and about; his reaction isn’t in line with greeting someone who just rose from a cat nap. In the original Independence Day, when Major Mitchell (Adam Baldwin) checks the doctor’s pulse, it was implied that he was deceased, especially after the alien told President Whitmore that it wanted all humans to die just before it finished off the doctor. Or not.

Spiner spoke to Yahoo Movies about people and assumptions, and revealed that the original script had a line announcing Dr. Okun’s death, but it didn’t make the cut because director Roland Emmerich wanted to keep the possibility of bringing the character back.

“They always jump to ‘You must be dead’ if you’re laying on the ground. But they’re wrong.”

Resurgence is shamefully happening without Will Smith’s help, but his absence is perhaps a blessing for the rest of the cast. In an interview with CinemaBlend, Dean Devlin said that having the A-list star in the movie would have made him the focus and his absence guarantees that the movie will be an ensemble picture just like Independence Day. Jessie T. Usher is stepping up as his son, Captain Dylan Dubrow-Hiller, who demonstrates the same leadership skills as his dad.

Both Independence Day movies are directed by Emmerich, who co-wrote the scripts with Devlin, someone he has partnered with before most notably on Stargate and the 2012 version of Godzilla. The story picks up 20 years after Captain Steven Hiller and his crew sent the aliens back to whence they came. Earth has created a global defense program called the Earth Space Defense (ESD) in anticipation of the enemies return, and as predicted, the aliens return with reinforcements to destroy the planet. The newly released Independence Day: Resurgence movie posters depict four utterly destroyed landscapes from various parts of the world.

Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Bill Pullman, and Vivica A. Fox reprise their roles from the original film, and they are joined by Liam Hemsworth, Sela Ward, Maika Monroe, and Anglebaby. This highly anticipated sequel appears to be in a position to surpass the original Independence Day’s weekend box office records, which are big shoes to fill as it was the first film in history to gross over $500 million internationally.

Independence Day: Resurgence is coming to theaters June 24.

[Image via Fox Movies]