EXHILARATING’’

IMPRINT CEREMONY ROLAND EMMERICH
CLAUDETTE BARIUS
Reunited
Emmerich, left,
with Bill Pullman
on the set of
“Independence
Day: Resurgence”
Director Roland Emmerich has destroyed plenty
of iconic landmarks in his 30-year career — he’s
blown up the White House on three separate
occasions — but there’s one oft-filmed locale
that has somehow managed to escape his
appetite for destruction: the TCL Chinese Theatre,
where Emmerich will immortalize his hands and feet
in cement June 20.
“Maybe in one of the next films, they can show my
hand and footprints getting something dropped on
them,” the director laughs.
Emmerich undoubtedly enjoys his work; he recalls
a previous instance of Los Angeles-inspired carnage in
“The Day After Tomorrow”: “I envisioned these images
that, because of climate shifts, tornadoes race through
Los Angeles. It was naturally fun then to have a little
twister erase the Hollywood sign.” He grins with the
giddiness of a child, like the world is his sandbox with
castles ripe for kicking down.
But while it would be easy to dismiss Emmerich’s
penchant for property damage as gratuitous, the
director maintains, “I’m not blowing up stuff just to
blow up; there’s always a story point to it.”
In breakout 1996 blockbuster
“Independence Day,”
Emmerich and his writing
and producing partner,
Dean Devlin, set out to replicate
the passion and creativity
they observed in the
’70s disaster movies they
loved — while still offering
audiences a deeper
message.
“It has to have an element
beyond what the
story at its surface is. ‘Independence
Day’ was about
three people from three different
ethnic groups joining
Tipsheet
What: Roland Emmerich
imprint ceremony
When: 5:30 p.m., June 20
Where: TCL Chinese
Theatres, Hollywood
web: tclchinesetheatres.
com/imprint-ceremonies
together to save the world
— that was very important
for me,” he says. “And
I think that message also
made the movie that successful.
When I did ‘Day
After Tomorrow,’ I was
really concerned about the
environment.”
“Independence Day”
star Jeff Goldblum, who
is reuniting with Emmerich
for sequel “Resurgence,”
recalls hearing the director’s
initial hopes for the
film. “He and Dean Devlin
originally said, ‘You know
those Irwin Allen disaster
movies of the ’70s like “The
Towering Inferno”? Let’s
make a cool version of one
of those with a contemporary
sensibility.’ This was
back in the mid-’90s, and
that’s what they pursued,
and they did it with not so
much a careerist ambition,
but a real artist’s love. And
this idea of a diverse →
Helmer’s Plate
Heaped High
Roland Emmerich’s slate
ranges from a war drama
to sci-fi thrillers. He’s
always in demand, so
his slate is often in flux,
but here’s what’s on the
docket at press time:
“Stargate”
Emmerich is teaming with
long-time writing partner
Dean Devlin for a reboot
of his career-making 1994
hit, “Stargate.” Nicolas
Wright and James A.
Woods are on the project
as writers. Says Emmerich,
“It took very long for
‘Independence Day,’ so
it will probably also take
equally long.”
“Battle of Midway”
“I was just drawn to this
battle because America
was just a total underdog
and I’m just in awe of the
bravery of these young
pilots,” Emmerich says.
“And yes, they won the
battle, but what was the
price?”
“Confluence”
A futuristic thriller about
the blurring line between
human and machine;
Emmerich is producing,
with John Robinson Irwin
directing.
“Maya Lord”
A feature film based on
John Coe Robbins’ novel
telling the fact-based
story of Gonzalo Guerrero,
a Spaniard whose
shipwreck in 1511 led
to adventures with the
Mayan people in colonial
Mexico.
“Emergence”
An alien-invasion film
containing hot-button
science elements,
produced by Emmerich’s
Centropolis Entertainment.
Emmerich will helm
and produce.
“Rise”
Centropolis is keeping
details of this thriller set
on an Arctic dive ship
under wraps. Wright and
Woods are scripting.
Emmerich is producing.
JUNE 14, 2016 VARIETY.COM
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