Peter Jackson is hard at work on his latest adaptation: Mortal Engines, Philip Reeve’s steampunk saga that could be the latest YA series to become a big screen hit. Jackson has unveiled the first real look at the world of Mortal Engines, and it looks promising.
Image: Illustration for Mortal Engines prequel by David Wyatt
Directed by Oscar-winning visual effects artist Christian Rivers (in his directorial debut), Mortal Engines is about a world thousands of years in the future where cities roam the globe on giant wheels, attacking and devouring each other to try and hold on to resources. Here you can see what looks to be the mysterious female Outlander (in her trademark red scarf) gazing on Traction City, where she meets a young man named Tom Natsworthy and changes the course of his life.
Jackson got the film rights for Mortal Engines back when the novel debuted in 2001, and production is currently underway (Jackson is serving as co-writer). The film stars Robert Sheehan, Hera Hilmar, Leila George, Ronan Raftery, Hugo Weaving and Stephen Lang. Should the adaptation be received well, there are plans to turn it into a franchise based on Reeve’s four-novel series.