Although the long-rumored sequels don't seem to be any closer to reality, the 1996 box office hit "Independence Day" is returning to theaters next year, having undergone 3D post-conversion. 

The 20th Century Fox film, a loose modern re-working of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds," helped turn Will Smith from a TV/music star into the long-running box office champ. It also starred Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Vivica Fox and Randy Quaid as a disparate band of people battling an overwhelming alien invasion. It was director Roland Emmerich's follow-up to the 1994 sci-fi hit "Stargate."

One of the biggest hits of the '90s, "ID4" made over $800 million worldwide, a number which Fox is hoping to increase significantly with the re-release. The 3D upgrade worked for 1997's "Titanic" a few months ago, and 1994's "the Lion King" before it. 

Likewise. the solid-if-not-spectacular box office of "Men in Black 3" proves that audiences still want more Smith. If the 3D re-release also scores with moviegoers, those proposed sequels may get on the fast track to production. 

"ID4: 3D" (does that make it "ID12"?) is scheduled for release, unsurprisingly, on July 3, 2013. So far, the only other big title scheduled that day is Universal's animated sequel "Despicable Me 2."