Taken director Pierre Morel helps Sam Raimi fight aliens with Earth Defense Force

Ever since he unleashed the vengeance of Liam Neeson to massive success, TAKEN director Pierre Morel has been bouncing around a whole bunch of different projects but not planting his feet.

Now the filmmaker (who also made DISTRICT B13 and FROM PARIS WITH LOVE) is getting ready to repel yet another extraterrestrial invasion with EDF, aka EARTH DEFENSE FORCE.

The project is being produced by Sam Raimi, and while it (unfortunately?) doesn’t seem to be based on the videogames of the same title, the concept is just as high — it’s “set after three alien fighters attack the planet, leaving countries humiliated. The governments of Earth then race to create a space fighting force in preparation for a second attack by an approaching alien horde.”

Morel, another of Luc Besson’s proteges to hit Hollywood, has been considering a number of other films like the new (and troubled) adaptation of DUNE, a THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR style thriller called SIGNALS, an action movie titled PURSUIT, and a sequel to TAKEN. He most recently made a pitch for Universal’s totally unnecessary big-budget OUIJA movie, but the studio didn’t dig it (alas, they’re still making it).