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Independence Day Title Secret Revealed!
4 Jul
Summary
- A last-minute line saved the movie's title from 'Doomsday'.
- Warner Bros. owned the title, forcing a deal with 20th Century Fox.
- The iconic speech line was added secretly to sway executives.
The iconic 1996 film Independence Day almost bore the title 'Doomsday'. 20th Century Fox faced a challenge as Warner Bros. held the rights to the name 'Independence Day' from a 1984 film.
To circumvent paying for the rights, Fox considered 'Doomsday'. Director Roland Emmerich and writer Dean Devlin, however, were set on the original title. They devised a plan involving actor Bill Pullman.
Pullman secretly added the now-legendary line, "Today, we celebrate our Independence Day," to his pivotal speech. This was done to influence studio executives viewing the film's dailies.
The strategy proved successful. Within two weeks, 20th Century Fox negotiated a deal with Warner Bros., securing the rights to the title and ensuring the film's patriotic legacy.
