Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines Featurette Teases the Beginning of a Saga

Universal has released a new Mortal Engines featurette with writers and executive producers Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens discussing how the movie is the beginning of an epic sci-fi fantasy saga. Check out the new video below!

Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan)—who hails from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London—finds himself fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar). Two opposites, whose paths should never have crossed, forge an unlikely alliance that is destined to change the course of the future.

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The cast for the fantasy includes Hugo Weaving (The Lord of Rings and The Hobbit trilogies), Hera Hilmar (Da Vinci’s Demons), Robbie Sheehan (Fortitude, upcoming Geostorm), South Korean singer and actress Jihae (Mars), Ronan Raftery (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Leila George (Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?), Patrick Malahide (Game of Thrones) and Stephen Lang (Avatar).

Jackson and Fran Walsh optioned the rights to Mortal Engines from Scholastic several years ago. They co-wrote the screenplay with collaborator Philippa Boyens (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies) based on the award-winning book series from author Philip Reeve. Christian Rivers has worked with Jackson for over two decades as a storyboard artist, on visual effects and as a Splinter Unit Director on The Hobbit trilogy. He won the Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for his work on King Kong, though this is his directorial debut.

Mortal Engines will hit theaters on December 14.