<P> Following the film's success, a prequel novel entitled Independence Day: Silent Zone was written by Molstad in February 1998 . The novel is set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and details the early career of Dr. Brackish Okun . </P> <P> Molstad wrote a third novel, Independence Day: War in the Desert in July 1999 . Set in Saudi Arabia on July 3, it centers around Captain Cummins and Colonel Thompson, the two Royal Air Force officers seen receiving the Morse code message in the film . </P> <P> A Marvel comic book was also written based on the first two novelizations . </P> <P> On August 4, 1996, BBC Radio 1 broadcast the one - hour play Independence Day UK, written, produced, and directed by Dirk Maggs, a spin - off depicting the alien invasion from a British perspective . None of the original cast was present . Dean Devlin gave Maggs permission to produce an original version, on the condition that he did not reveal certain details of the movie's plot, and that the British were not depicted as saving the day . Independence Day UK was set up to be similar to the 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds--the first 20 minutes were live . </P>

Who played randy quaid's son in independence day