Jeremy Piven, Casper Van Dien, Liam McIntyre, Tricia Helfer

Source: Alan Silfren / Courtesy of Sparke Films / Courtesy of Sparke Films / Vince Trupsin

Jeremy Piven, Casper Van Dien, Liam McIntyre, Tricia Helfer

Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment has boarded Occupation: Rainfall Chapter 2, the next instalment in the alien invasion franchise from Sparke Films, which will star Jeremy Piven, Casper Van Dien, Tricia Helfer, Liam McIntyre and Danny Trejo.

Australian filmmaker Luke Sparke returns to direct from his original screenplay and plans to start pre-production after Cannes ahead of a third quarter start of principal photography in Australia.

Chapters 2 and 3, the third and fourth entries in the series after 2018’s Occupation and Occupation: Rainfall in 2020, will film back-to-back on a custom-built LED volume stage.

Chapter 2 picks up the ongoing fight by the resistance against Earth invaders as a new threat hunts down remaining humans. Meanwhile, survivors aboard the Mothership prepare to strike at the aliens’ Rainfall weapon.

The returning cast includes the voice of Jason Isaacs, Jet Tranter, Dan Ewing, Zac Garred, Charles Mesure and Dena Kaplan. Additional casting will be announced. Producers are Carly Sparke and Carmel Imrie, while Epstein, Geoff Imrie and Luke Sparke serve as executive producers.

“We’re thrilled to be introducing to this highly commercially viable, genre-raising film franchise to the marketplace in Cannes and the multi-project distribution deal between Film Mode and Sparke Films to the world at large,” said Epstein. ”Luke’s ability to execute large scale productions with stellar casts, gripping storylines and top-of-the-line special effects truly sets Rainfall apart from others.”

Sparke added, “It’s been a genuine thrill to see Occupation Rainfall find its audience as it rolled out around the world. Every day, it finds new fans and the feedback from them has been amazingly supportive. I’m so happy that I can bring my vision for the ‘Rainfall Trilogy’ to the screens very, very soon. They are bigger, better and bombastic but also uniquely grounded in humanity and what it means to be a member of this planet.”

Epstein, who licensed Occupation: Rainfall to territories including the UK (Signature), France (Metropolitan), Germany (Splendid) and the US (Saban), also announced a multi-project distribution deal with Sparke Films. The pact will see Film Mode represent sales on upcoming Weapons Of Choice, Second World War trilogy Axis Of Time, and horror feature franchise Primitive War.