It’s crazy to think about it, but it’s been 26 years since we heard the fat lady sing when Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum saved the world from an extraterrestrial threat on Independence Day. And what could be better than celebrating the box office success of 1996 by watching the broadcast of Independence Day?
Below you’ll find everything you need to know about watching Bill Pullman deliver arguably the best presidential speech ever filmed (and how that speech saved the movie’s title), as well as everything else about Roland Emmerich’s epic blockbuster.
Watching “Independence Day” has never been so easy, because the classic sci-fi thriller of the 90s is broadcast on Prime Video in stunning ultra-high resolution. If you want to take the last fight of humanity on the Fourth of July, you’re in luck, because your favorite movie about the end of the world is currently available to everyone with an Amazon Prime subscription. Before you know it, you’ll see Will Smith dragging a not-quite-dead alien into Area 51.
Are there any other ways to watch Independence Day?
In addition to being able to watch the Independence Day broadcast, there are several other ways to watch Roland Emmerich’s 1996 action movie from the comfort of your home. Here’s everything you need to know…
If you’re thinking about adding to your digital movie library, you can purchase (or rent) a copy of Independence Day on Amazon Prime. One of the great things about watching a movie on Amazon is the inclusion of an X-ray feature that gives you access to everything from information about the actors to some pretty great behind-the-scenes facts about Independence Day.
Rent/buy Independence Day on Amazon. (opens in a new tab)
But if you want to see Independence Day in all its glory, you should purchase a copy of the combined 4K UHD and Blu-ray package. This gives you access not only to the movie, but also to many bonus features and an extended version of the 1996 summer blockbuster.
How Bill Pullman’s Iconic Speech Helped Give Independence Day a Name
It’s hard to imagine Independence Day being called anything other than Independence Day, but it was almost like that when the film was still in production. In June 2020, in an interview with Mike Reyes of CinemaBlend, Bill Pullman revealed that 20th Century Fox really wanted to name the film “Judgment Day” for reasons, but his iconic speech before the final battle of the film helped Rolland Emmerich justify his preferred title, stating:
We shot it, of course, at night, because it’s dark, and not in the pavilion or somewhere else. It was very late, and it was moved to the schedule earlier because Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich were arguing with Fox about the title right then. I think it was Judgment Day. This is what Fox wanted, and it was a typical name for a disaster movie at that time. They really wanted Independence Day, so we had to make the speech really good. And then they mounted it together, and a couple of nights later Dean came up to my trailer and said: “Do you want to see”? … So he turned on the videotape, showed me an excerpt from the speech, and I said, “Holy Mother, they should call this film Independence Day.” And they did.
You see, the world not only has Bill Pullman to thank for helping save the world, we are also indebted to him for saving one of the best movie titles in cinema.
Now that we know how to watch the Independence Day broadcast, all we have to do is grab a bucket of popcorn, turn on the surround speakers and enjoy one of the greatest summer blockbusters of all time. But also don’t forget to watch other great movies on Amazon Prime Video.
