Liam Hemsworth rides a ''forklift on the moon'' in 'Independence Day: Resurgence'.

The long-awaited sequel to the sci-fi classic will see the 25-year-old star try to rescue the planet by taking to the surface of the moon.

Liam explained the backstory of his on-screen character, saying: ''Jake lost his parents in the first attack, he grew up in an orphanage, and eventually joined the military and became a fighter pilot, and eventually became one of the best of the best fighter pilots.

''I think his ego kind of got in the way, he made a bad decision and put someone's life at risk, and he got the great job of driving this moon tug, which is basically a forklift on the moon.''

Meanwhile, returning cast member Jeff Goldblum, who stars as scientist David Levinson, explained he is leading a new initiative designed to safeguard the planet from future alien attacks.

He said: ''Having faced that last challenge, we're all working in a beautiful way under one [goal].''

'Independence Day: Resurgence' will hit cinemas in June 2016, with the release designed to mark the 20th anniversary of the original movie.