Sam Raimi Developing Alien Invasion Movie 'EDF', Aka "Earth Defense Force"

Sam Raimi has dealt with ghouls, ghosts, demons and other such undead variants, but now he's angling to bring extraterrestrials to the big screen, and he's deep into negotiations with Warner Bros. to help him.

The film is tentatively titled EDF, which stands for "Earth Defense Force", and deals, appropriately, with "Earth's response to an imminent alien invasion". Raimi won't direct, but will seek out a director shortly. Learn more after the break.

Vulture has read the script and describes it as a mix of Top Gun, Independence Day and The Last Starfighter, meaning we can expect lots of aerial battles with fighter jets.

They also offer an in-depth summation of the conflict that sets the plot in motion:

In EDF, we open on a U.S. military operation gone awry: Sent to rescue what they believe is a sub that's accidentally bumped into a mine in Chinese waters, U.S. naval aviators quickly wind up engaged in a dogfight with a squadron of Chinese air force pilots. Soon, planes on both sides are being shot out of the sky, but not by the Chinese or US pilots, but by three alien attack fighters, which soon depart and destroy many of the world's landmarks and military installations, then, vanish. It's a test of Earth's defensive capabilities, and we failed. Shortly after, NASA detects a radiation signature in a nearby galaxy, indicating a far more massive attack coming in about ten months, and world leaders set about trying to create super-aircraft and weapons that can fight off the coming invasion.

Working alongside Raimi on the deal is producer Bill Block (District 9, W.), with a script by Air Force One screenwriter Andrew Marlowe, who apparently has a thing for aircrafts. Marlowe is also the creator of Castle, and wrote a script for a Nick Fury movie that may or may not happen depending on how successful The Avengers is.

If all goes as planned, EDF will top an already full workload for Raimi. Nothing is concrete, but he's meant to direct the World of Warcraft movie and Oz, the Great and Powerful, as well as a re-imagining of the story of Wyatt Earp, Earp: Saints for Sinners. He's also interested in producing a new take on The Shadow, with David Slade directing. There's no word on which project he will proceed with first, but no matter; they all sound intriguing. As long as he helms another film soon, I'll be satisfied.