In 1996, it seemed like nothing short of the apocalypse could stop Will Smith's Independence Day character, Captain Steven Hiller. But press for the science-fiction film's sequel has pointed to the hero's unlikely death, and Smith says Hiller's fate will likely leave him tear-soaked when Resurgence hits theaters in June.

Smith told Yahoo! Movies he found out about the character's demise while filming a different project, and that the bad news hit him like a ton of bricks. In the first film, Hiller was a pilot who was rejected by NASA, but ultimately led the charge against an alien army that threatened the fate of humankind.

"I was working on Suicide Squad during that time," he said. "The trailer looks really cool. I'm going to be sitting around with tears in my eyes when that one comes out…It was terrible when I found out my character died."

According to WarOf1996.com, a promotional site for the movie, Hiller died in 2007 while test-piloting an alien spacecraft that malfunctioned.

"Col. Hiller. Hiller's valor in the War of '96 made him a beloved global icon whose selfless assault against the alien mothership lead directly to the enemy's defeat," an obituary reads. "He is survived by his wife Jasmine and his son Dylan."

Were you surprised to hear Smith's character was cut from the next Independence Day installment? Share your thoughts.

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