“Independence Day: Resurgence” is a bust in the US with a $16 million Friday opening and a predicted $40 mil weekend. It’s a $200 million movie, so that ain’t good.

But 21st Century Fox has hedged its bet. “IDR” opens in China this weekend, too. And even though China has no civil rights and dog meat eating festivals, it’s now the place where the big studios pin their hopes for making some dough on bad films.

To ensure that “IDR” will do well– even without Will Smith– the studio and the filmmakers were clever enough to feature several Asian and Chinese actors. A young actress who goes by Angelababy– her real name is Angela Wing– plays Rain, one of the movie’s stolid ingenues. Chin Han plays Commander Jiang. Ron Yuan, Grace Huang, Ben Wang, and Stephen Oyoung are also featured. There are extras too. Their presence will no doubt be played up as “IDR” opens in China and elsewhere in Asia. It’s a smart movie financially, and inadvertently helps play a part in diverse casting. Everybody wins!

If only “IDR” had a script and other actors who were memorable, the movie might have been a hit in the U.S.

A few more reviews are trickling in, but not from any major sources. The hiding and abandoning of “Independence Day: Resurgence” may turn out to be a bigger story than the movie itself.

Right now, there are only about 68 reviews posted to Rotten Tomatoes. That’s less than a third than a movie like “X Men: Apocalypse” received. It’s sitting at a 46 rating. But each new review brings a lower ranking.

Last night, “IDR” took in $4million in its pre-opening. Compare that to $11 million for the pre-opening back in 1996.

At the theater where I saw it, fewer than 200 people total may have attended screenings at various price points (2D, 3D, blindfolded).

No members of the “IDR” cast have turned up so far on any talk shows to promote the movie. Only Bill Pullman and Sela Ward have hit CBS’s “The Talk.”  Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum have each been on “Conan,” which is the Witness Protection Program of late night.

Meantime, whoever does see the movie will spot a cameo from Robert Loggia, who died last December. Loggia played General Grey in the first movie. He’s somehow painted into a scene on a reviewing stand, not looking very well. He doesn’t have any lines. It’s not his last movie. According to the imdb, he has two more appearances in films. He was a great actor and a fine fellow. So this is a nice tribute.

Also, there’s a memorial wall (a la the Vietnam Memorial) observing those who died in the original “IDR.” It goes by fast, I think they were names of characters. There may be an Easter egg in there. Let me know (showbiz411@gmail.com) if you see it.

Sad to say “Independence Day: Resurgence” is quite awful. It looks cheaply made and is mostly witless. Every possible cliche is explored. Eleven credited screenwriters and there’s no screenplay, just remnants of abandoned drafts.

Roughly 50 people showed up tonight for the first showing in Union Square. About 125 went to the next showing. And 50 more were expected for the final show. “IDR” could be a $200 million disaster if it doesn’t take off in places like China. (There are Asian characters just for that reason.)

But it’s a movie that begins in the middle, has almost no character development and looks like it was shot on a soundstage.

Missing Will Smith is just part of the disaster. The character that replaces him– Dylan– is his earnest, humorless son. This is Will Smith’s (movie) kid? I don’t think so. The actor playing him– James T. Usher– and relation to the singer Usher– is solid but dull, like all the young people in this film. Liam Hemsworth and Maika Monroe feel like they’re playing a parody of star crossed lovers. Nicolas Wright is wrong. The casting feels low grade and inexpensive.

So you also really miss Mary McDonnell as president Bill Pullman’s wife, and Margaret Colin, as Jeff Goldblum’s maybe love interest. They were adult women with strong personas. Charlotte Gainsbourg is just lost as a scientist or psychologist– it’s unclear. Like virtually all the people who file past the camera, Gainsbourg has no story or backstory.

Twenty years have passed since the first film. How could production values be worse? There’s some really laughable rear screen projection. Night or darkly lit scenes have no depth of image. The editing is clumsy. There are space ships flying and fighting that look like they’re hand held. Good grief. All the money was spent on the aliens, who are really no different than they were in 1996.

Some kinda funny moments involve Brent Spiner as the revived Dr. Okun. The actor is best known as Data from “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” He’s goofy enough to be diverting, and there’s a throwaway “Star Trek” joke, I think.

Also, in the final reel (where was the first reel? the first act? the character set ups?) Jeff Goldblum drives a yellow school bus around the desert, chased by the big alien. It could have been funnier. But at one point, Judd Hirsch leans forward to talk to him during the chase and Goldblum says, “Please stay behind the yellow line.” Shows you how strained I was for humor.

I’m so disappointed by “IDR.” I saw the first movie three times. Director Roland Emmerich really caught lightning in a bottle. He is otherwise– and has been since then– a maker of big screen schlock. He’s saddled 20th Century Fox with a huge turkey here. But no New York press screenings or premiere, publicists who ignored emails– you knew this calamity was on its way. The fairly light numbers of people at AMC Union Square last night underscored the trouble.

Too bad.