Production has wrapped on 20th Century Fox's highly-anticipated sci-fi sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, which is set for release on June 24, 2016, almost exactly 20 years after the original Independence Day hit theaters in 1996. While fans wait for the first full trailer to debut, director Roland Emmerich revealed new details in an interview with Collider. The official synopsis released this summer stated that humanity always knew the aliens would come back, and the director says that the aliens who were destroyed in the original movie were just one of the "hives."

"Well, it's only like one of the hives, like kind of moving around. [Laughs] What we did this time, we tried to expand the universe, too. It's not as simple as the last one because you cannot make it as simple as the last one. Also it's a little bit about what happened to our world when you know that they are coming back. We had 20 years to come together as a planet and to build incredible things to have a little more even fight."

The synopsis also revealed that world leaders have banded together, using recovered alien technology, to build "an immense defense program to protect the planet." Unfortunately, the aliens attack with even more advanced technology than before, as the world must depend on "the ingenuity of a few brave men and women" to save our planet from extinction. Jessie Usher (When the Game Stands Tall) and Maika Monroe are two of the new additions to the cast, whom Roland Emmerich spoke quite highly of. Here's what the director had to say about the casting process.

"You don't expect this from a movie like this, but we have a super-fresh, incredible cast. I take the casting process very, very seriously. I cast two young actors (Jessie Usher and Maika Monroe), and they were voted on by Variety as two of the 10 most promising, up and coming actors. Maika is incredible in our film and she became a friend, honest to God. I love that girl. Also Jessie Usher is incredible, and Liam (Hemsworth) is probably the nicest man on Earth. I always said it was Channing Tatum, but I think he may have a little competition there. Movies like Anonymous and Stonewall helped me to be more forward with actors, and they are actually so thankful to get feedback."

Original Independence Day stars Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox and Brent Spiner all return to reprise their roles in Independence Day 2, with some of the other new additions including Angelababy and Sela Ward. This highly-anticipated sequel hits theaters June 24, 2016, going up against Sony Pictures' The Shallows. Do you think this sci-fi follow-up could bring home the big bucks at the box office next summer?