Though he’s usually been found directing superheroes, horror action or emotional dramas (with a quick side trip into Westerns), as a producer Sam Raimi has dabbled in every genre imaginable. And he’s now trying to sell Warner Bros. on an alien invasion pic called EDF.
Penned by Air Force One scriptwriter/Castle creator Andrew Marlow, the script is, according to Vulture, a heady blend of Top Gun, The Last Starfighter and Independence Day, with the title’s initials standing for Earth Defence Force.
The plot follows US and Chinese forces engaged in aerial dogfights that end up under attack from something not of this world, in the shape of alien battle ships. The nasty invaders then proceed to go all Roland Emmerich on mankind’s ass, destroying landmarks and military bases, before flitting off back into space. With the Earth still nursing its wounds, NASA eggheads detect a radiation surge in a nearby galaxy, which points to an even bigger, much more deadly attack on its way within 10 months. Cue a rush to start developing military technology that can fight back!
If it sounds like fantasy, that’s because it is: after 10 months, most world governments would still be debating the motion to start funding the research. Except maybe for North Korea…
Still, Raimi and producer Bill Block (who has a little bit of experience with alien issues after working on District 9) are now pitching the script to the studio. It’s unlikely Raimi will actually direct it, but you can bet there will be plenty of interest from other megaphoners. Given how many movies he’s been rumoured for since Black Swan’s festival launch, expect Darren Aronofsky to be linked before too long…