"Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi is in talks to set up an alien invasion movie titled "Earth Defense Force" at Warner Bros., reports Vulture.
Bill Block ("District 9") is attached to produce with his company, QED International, co-financing the project, which Vulture describes as a cross between "Top Gun," "Independence Day" and "The Last Starfighter" based on a reading of Andrew Marlowe's ("Air Force One") script.
"EDF" opens with the U.S. and Chinese militaries coming under attack from aliens, who swiftly depart, only to destroy many of the world's landmarks and military installations before vanishing. It seems they came to test Earth's defensive capabilities, and we failed miserably.
Shortly after, NASA detects a radiation signature in a nearby galaxy, which indicates a full-scale alien invasion will take place in about ten months. Thus, world leaders unite to create super-aircraft and weaponry that can fight off the coming invasion.
Raimi is not expected to direct, and the project will be going out to directors shortly. While the last thing we need is yet another alien invasion movie (two alien-themed trailers were released yesterday for "Skyline" and DreamWorks' "I Am Number Four"), "EDF" actually sounds a lot more interesting than most of the projects Raimi is said to be eyeing as his next directorial effort, including a big screen adaptation of "World of Warcraft."