Forget aliens, Bill Pullman’s 'Independence Day' president is back to help save us from the pandemic

It's been 25 years since Bill Pullman first rallied the world as President Thomas J. Whitmore in Independence Day, and now he's doing it again, as part of Budweiser's latest ad campaign — only this time he's trying to call on the citizens of America to join together to help the world in its fight against the ongoing global pandemic, instead of an alien invasion.

The ad,sees the actor step into Whitmore's bomber jacket once again as he stands at a podium in an airplane hanger in Area 51 and delivers a version of his iconic speech from the 1996 movie, encouraging people to get vaccinated. Check out the ad here.

"Perhaps it's fate that this 4th of July that we gotta once again come together to lend a hand to those less fortunate, whose fate still lies in the balance," says Pullman's character. "We're fighting for freedom for all. Not from alien invaders. From separation. From being cooped up while baking bread and ignoring basic hygiene."

He goes on to add, "Let's work together towards a future where everyone can come to the party. And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice that 'We will not go quietly into the night. We will fill the sky with so much light and freedom this thing will rue the day it ever messed with us.' Together we celebrate our independence day. Go Fourth America."

As part of the campaign, Budweiser will also be making a donation to Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization that works on granting vaccine access in the United States and worldwide.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pullman has been hesitant about referencing that particular speech over the years, not wanting to cheapen the effect of the words written by Dean Devlin (Stargate SG-1). He was still reluctant when Budweiser approached him, however, the company not only heard his notes out, but also tweaked the campaign so as to make it more global by acknowledging that the fight against COVID-19 is still not done, as many countries are still dealing with the virus. Pullman also donated his own fee towards COVAX, another organization also working towards enabling vaccine access. 

Independence Day stars Will Smith (Men In Black) and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic World: Dominion) and sees the people of Earth uniting in the face of a large scale alien invasion as they work together to launch a counterattack.