Peter Jackson's Mortal Engines

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/12/21...g-film-adaptation-of-the-mortal-engine-books/

​

If reports are to be believed, Peter Jackson is at work right now on his next movie and it’s another fantasy novel adaptation. Mortal Engines is the first film in a series of (so far) five books by Phillip Reeve that also collectively go by the Mortal Engines handle. They’re set in a post-apocalyptic world where moving city states - or Traction Cities, in the books - roam nomadically, eating up resources and occasionally one another. Think Howl’s Moving Castle but very much bigger, meaner and with more of a sci-fi bent.

The original Mortal Engines novel was nominated for a Whitbread and won a Smarties award and for a few months, it seemed that everybody between three and five feet tall was reading a copy.

It’s said that Weta are currently working on the designs for these roaming municipalities. The main setting for the story is the Traction City of London and I can only imagine what they’d be able to make of it. This London is built like a multi-tiered, step-tapering tower, with the poor folk living in the broad belly level, against the noisy, polluting ‘Gut’, and the richer noblefolk living at the top, where the city is topped with St Paul’s Cathedral, the only pre-apocalyptic structure known to still remain.

Our lead characters are a fifteen year old orphan from this weird new London, Tom Natsworthy, and the ‘Anti-Tractionist’ girl he meets, Hester Shaw, who believes that cities should be made to stop moving and stay rooted.

The Dominion Post are breaking the story. They’ve got a killer quote from Jackson’s rep who pretty much convinces me this is an active project at Wingnut saying, “Any comment should come from Peter”. Of course, Peter was found to be unavailable for comment.

I’m excited. Reeve has created a rich fantasy world, just ripe for Jackson to turn into something really special. The central metaphors are rich and resonant and smart, and work on a number of satisfying levels, the imagery is vibrant and vivid, and the characters are charming and attractive.

The Mortal Engines books are not the only series of fantasy novels that Jackson has an option on, though he has been suggesting lately that the Temeraire books of Naomi Novik would likely fare better as a mini-series on TV than as a cinematic production. A surprising stance, seeing as they are epics about a Captain in the British Navy and a Chinese Dragon going to war against Napoleon. Maybe there’s a little too much of the Avatar in the way the human-Dragon relationships are portrayed? Or maybe Jackson is seeing this as a rather less action-led interpretation than I would assume?

Another interesting aside in the Dominion Post article seems to be suggesting that Christian Rivers’ Dambusters film is complete. Really? Journalistic slip-up or stealth film making? Unfortunately, I’d guess it’s the former.

 

[xwolverine2]

meh

 

[SPIDERMAN117]

F*** This S***!

Jackson need to be working on a damn Halo film already. If not....This is a guaratee...Before the end of the next decade I will direct the film.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Halo is dead, neither him or Neill have any interest in returning to it. District 9 was the closest we'll get to a Halo movie with Neil and Peter working on it.

 

[SPIDERMAN117]

*sigh* ^ This is the sad reality of life. But no worry. I am currently a sophmore in high school....Give me 8 more years. And I promise that I WILL Direct The Halo Film.
and I WILL make it EPIC.





















sorry....I just have big dreams...

 

[CelticPredator]

It will be made by then.

 

[Sawyer]

What the hell is Mortal Engine?!

 

[Jackasscoley15]

While the idea sounds cool, I was kind of hoping PJ would do something original after The Lovely Bones. Everything he's directed since The Lord of the Rings has been based on something.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

What the hell is Mortal Engine?!

Read the article.

 

[Hunter Rider]

The image that came with the article really caught my eye, but the story itself, and the fact the leads are kids has somewhat left me underwhelmed.

 

[Gabe99]

From MTV: Is Peter Jackson Adapting The 'Mortal Engines' Novel Series?

From /film: Peter Jackson Developing Film Adaptation of the Mortal Engine Books?

From Empire: Peter Jackson Developing Mortal Engines - Moving cities arrive in Wellington


From io9:
Is Peter Jackson Secretly Preparing To Film Philip Reeve's Traction Cities Epic?


From Marketsaw:
Exclusive Weta Update! MORTAL ENGINES In 3D, DISTRICT 10 Shooting This October AND AVATAR 2 Spoiler!!!

MORTAL ENGINES is definitely a GO! And it WILL BE in stereoscopic 3D!! It is extremely hard to get any information on this project at all - but you know us, we are in there digging all the time Peter Jackson is both Director and Producer on this project. Mortal Engines is based on a series of five books by Phillip Reeve set in a devastated post annihilation world. Huge floating cities roam the skies and do battle with one another.

 

[Solidus]

Hmm sounds interesting. It will be nice to see Jackson take on more epic/fantasy type things again.

 

[Airwings]

I think this can be interesting. Have no problem with kids being main characters here. Well, they're more teenagers than kids.
I am a few chapters into the book, and so far it seem like it could work for a movie.
The scoop of the film needs to be big and epic, and judging from what I have read already the story doesn't need too many changes to be action-packed. It's quite adventurous as it is.
But we need someone like Peter Jackson to get a well-made adaption. He makes kind of "big" adventure movies. You guys can have any opinion about King Kong as you want, but you can't claim it was a huge film.

I guess Mortal Engines will presents something along the lines of "The city of Gondor on wheels". Atleast that is the feeling we will get watching this. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Saoirse Ronan for Hester Shaw, perhaps? And several aussie actors in other parts.

 

[TX85]

I was interested while reading the article..Until I found out the main characters are kids,Not for me!!

 

[Octoberist]

Thanks for being strangely dismissive, Luis.

 

[:eek:]

Peter Jackson To Pen “Mortal Engines”

By
Garth Franklin -

Monday, October 24th 2016 2:44 pm
http://cdn.darkhorizons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/peter-jackson-to-helm-mortal-engines.jpg

Peter Jackson has settled on an upcoming project, teaming up with Universal Pictures and MRC for a film adaptation of Philip Reeve’s science fiction fantasy book series “Mortal Engines”.
“The Lord of the Rings” writing team of Jackson, his wife and partner Fran Walsh and their collaborator Philippa Boyens will pen the project which Jackson will also produce alongside Zane Weiner, Amanda Walker and Deborah Forte.
The four book series is set in a future world devastated ecologically and technologically and where certain cities such as London are run on engines and mobility, giving them the ability to prey on others for resources.
The story centers on a teen named Tom Natsworthy who, along with a young woman from a territory known as the Outlands, uncovers a mystery that could change the world order.
Jackson will NOT direct, that will be left to his longtime protege Christian Rivers who will make his feature directorial debut with the fantasy. Universal will serve as worldwide distributor with production slated to begin in New Zealand in spring next year.
Source: Heat Vision

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

F*** This S***!

Jackson need to be working on a damn Halo film already. If not....This is a guaratee...Before the end of the next decade I will direct the film.

*sigh* ^ This is the sad reality of life. But no worry. I am currently a sophmore in high school....Give me 8 more years. And I promise that I WILL Direct The Halo Film.
and I WILL make it EPIC.





















sorry....I just have big dreams...

 

[LoganGambit87]

Universal Dates Peter Jackson-Fran Walsh Production ‘Mortal Engines’ For Holiday 2018

Universal will release Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh’s latest production Mortal Engines on Dec. 14, 2018. Jackson and Walsh have been developing an adaptation of the 2001 Philip Reeve Scholastic book series for quite some time with their VFX protege Christian Rivers (King Kong) at the helm. The movie marks the first for Jackson and Walsh at Uni since 2005’s King Kong and Universal Studios Hollywood’s King Kong: 360 3-D in 2010. Media Rights Capital is also producing. Currently Mortal Engines stands as the only major studio release on its mid-December date.

The news comes after 20th Century Fox announced last night that a James Cameron untitled pic will hit the multiplex on Dec. 21, 2018; most likely Avatar 2 as the helmer promised at CinemaCon. Unlike this Christmas with Rogue One and next year with Star Wars: Episode VIII on Dec. 15, there isn’t a Star Wars pic slated for the 2018 holiday season. Instead, the Han Solo anthology is dated for Memorial Day weekend (May 25) 2018.

Mortal Engines is set in the future where Earth’s cities now roam the globe on huge wheels, battling each other in a struggle for ever diminishing resources. In the film, two unlikely heroes come together and change the course of the future.

Jackson and Walsh co-wrote the screenplay with their fellow Oscar-winning collaborator, Philippa Boyens, with whom they crafted The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies. Boyens is also a co-producer on the film. Zane Weiner (The Hobbit series), Amanda Walker (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) and Deborah Forte (Goosebumps) are also producing, while Ken Kamins (The Hobbit series) will serve as EP. Universal will distribute the film worldwide.

 

[:eek:]

First Members of Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines Cast

Robbie Sheehan (Fortitude, upcoming Geostorm)*and Ronan Raftery (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, AMC’s upcoming The Terror)*are the first members of Peter Jackson’s*Mortal Engines cast, reports Variety.*The trade says that Sheehan will have a lead role, while Rafferty plays a supporting one.

Production is scheduled to begin*in New Zealand this spring for a theatrical release on December 14, 2018.*MRC and*Universal*are co-financing the film. Universal will also serve as worldwide distributor.
Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies) are making the*Mortal Engines*movie, based on the award-winning book series of the same name from British author Philip Reeve.*Jackson and Walsh have been involved with the project for several years, having optioned the rights from Scholastic. They have co-written the screenplay with collaborator Philippa Boyens (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies). Ken Kamins – Jackson, Walsh and Boyens’ longtime manager – brought the project to MRC.
Christian Rivers is attached to direct Mortal Engines. Christian has spent the majority of his 25-year career working closely with Jackson, beginning as a Story Board Artist, later moving into supervising visual effects and finally serving as Splinter Unit Director on The Hobbit trilogies. Christian won an Academy Award for his work on the 2005 film, King Kong (Best Achievement in Visual Effects). He also recently served as second unit director on the remake of Pete’s Dragon. Mortal Engines is his first project as director.
Zane Weiner (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies), Amanda Walker (The Hobbit) and Deborah Forte (The Golden Compass, Goosebumps) are serving as producers, along with Walsh and Jackson. Ken Kamins (The Hobbit trilogy, District 9, Jack Reacher) will executive produce. Philippa Boyens will co-produce.
Based on the first novel “Mortal Engines”, the film is a Sci-Fi/Fantasy and is the first in a planned series of films based on Philip Reeve’s novels. The series is comprised of four books: “Mortal Engines”, “Predator’s Gold”, “Infernal Devices” and “A Darkling Plain.”
Published in 2001 by Scholastic, Reeve’s “Mortal Engines” books have won several prestigious awards including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the Smarties Gold Award and Blue Peter Book of the Year.
Mortal Engines is set in a world many thousands of years in the future. Earth’s cities now roam the globe on huge wheels, devouring each other in a struggle for ever diminishing resources. On one of these massive Traction Cities, Tom Natsworthy has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious young woman from the Outlands who will change the course of his life forever

 

[Doctor Jones]

Rivers deserves it. It's crazy seeing him drawing the earliest LOTR storyboards to now directing something like this. I wish him luck.

 

[LoganGambit87]

Peter Jackson’s ‘Mortal Engines’ Sets Hera Hilmar As Female Lead

Hera Hilmar has been set as the lead female role in Mortal Engines, the Christian Rivers-directed movie adaptation of the book series by British author Philip Reeve. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies) are producing the film adaptation. Hilmar’s recent credits include The Ottoman Lieutenant and The Oath, and she spent three seasons on the Starz series Da Vinci’s Demons.

Mortal Engines is set in a world many thousands of years in the future. Earth’s cities now roam the globe on huge wheels, devouring each other in a struggle for ever-diminishing resources. On one of these massive Traction Cities, Tom Natsworthy has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious young woman from the Outlands who will change the course of his life forever.

Jackson and Walsh have been involved with the project for several years, having optioned the rights from Scholastic. They co-wrote the screenplay with their LOTR and Hobbit collaborator Philippa Boyens. MRC and Universal are co-financing the film, Universal also will serve as worldwide distributor. Production is slated to begin in New Zealand in the spring, and the film is set to be released December 14, 2018.

Rivers, an Oscar winner for his VFX work on the Jackson-directed King Kong, makes his feature directorial debut after spending the majority of his 25-year career working closely with Jackson. He began as a storyboard artist, later moving into supervising visual effects and finally serving as splinter unit director on The Hobbit trilogies. Rivers was second unit director on the remake of Pete’s Dragon.

Zane Weiner, Amanda Walker and Deborah Forte will produce with Walsh and Jackson. Ken Kamins will be executive producer and Boyens will co-produce. Hilmar is represented by 42 in the UK, Management 360 and Bloom Hergott.

 

[:eek:]

Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines adds Stephen Lang, Jihae and Leila George

Mortal Engines has just gained three new cast members. The upcoming Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh adaptation of the British series of novels has cast Stephen Lang (Avatar), South Korean singer and actress Jihae (Mars), and Leila George (Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?), according to THR. They’ll join the previously-cast Robbie Sheehan (Fortitude, upcoming Geostorm) and Ronan Raftery (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, AMC’s upcoming The Terror) and Hera Hilmar (Da Vinci’s Demons).

Here is the official synopsis for the film: “Mortal Engines is set in a world many thousands of years in the future. Earth’s cities now roam the globe on huge wheels, devouring each other in a struggle for ever diminishing resources. On one of these massive Traction Cities, Tom Natsworthy has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious young woman from the Outlands who will change the course of his life forever.”
Stephen Lang’s character remains a mystery. Jihae will play Anna Fang, “a member of the violent league that fights against the mobile cities.” George will play Katherine Valentine, “the daughter of one of the most powerful men in London society and one who is trying to get his hands on a weapon of mass destruction.” Sheehan will play Natsworthy, Hilmar will play Hester Shaw, and Raftery will play Bevis Pod.
Jackson and Walsh optioned the rights from Scholastic several years ago. They’ve co-written the screenplay with collaborator Philippa Boyens (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies). The film is based on the award-winning book series from author Philip Reeve and will be directed by Christian Rivers. Rivers has worked with Jackson for over two decades as a story board 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 his directorial debut. MRC and Universal are co-financing the film. Universal will also serve as worldwide distributor.

 

[:eek:]

By Silas Lesnick ON April 12, 2017




Mortal Engines gets a familiar Middle-earth face as Hugo Weaving joins the cast
Peter Jackson’s*Mortal Engines*adaptation has just added a familiar face as Variety reports that Hugo Weaving, who previously worked with the director on*The Lord of Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, has joined the cast. Hugo Weaving joins a Mortal Engines cast that currently includes Robbie Sheehan (Fortitude, upcoming Geostorm), Ronan Raftery (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them),*Hera Hilmar (Da Vinci’s Demons),*Stephen Lang (Avatar), South Korean singer and actress Jihae (Mars), and Leila George (Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?).

Set in a world many thousands of years in the future, Mortal Engines begins as Earth’s cities now roam the globe on huge wheels, devouring each other in a struggle for ever diminishing resources. On one of these massive Traction Cities, Tom Natsworthy has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious young woman from the Outlands who will change the course of his life forever.
Jackson and Walsh optioned the rights to Mortal Engines from*Scholastic several years ago. They’ve co-written the screenplay with collaborator Philippa Boyens (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies). The film is based on the award-winning book series from author Philip Reeve and will be directed by Christian Rivers. Rivers has worked with Jackson for over two decades as a story board 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.*MRC and*Universal*are co-financing the film. Universal Pictures will also serve as worldwide distributor.
Mortal Engines will hit theaters on*December 14, 2018.

Read more at http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/837217-hugo-weaving-mortal-engines#FtETwueCZTKdu8ET.99

 

[:eek:]

Three More Join “Mortal Engines”

By
Garth Franklin -

Thursday, April 20th 2017 2:06 pm
http://cdn2.darkhorizons.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/three-more-join-mortal-engines.jpg
British acting legend Patrick Malahide (“Game of Thrones&#8221, Bond film and “Arrow” actor Colin Salmon, and rising “Roots” star Rege-Jean Page have joined the cast of the Peter Jackson-produced “Mortal Engines” for MRC & Universal Pictures.
Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving and Stephen Lang lead the cast in this adaptation of Philip Reeve’s young adult novel series set in a devastated future world where the world’s cities are run by engines and move about Earth, giving them the ability to prey on other smaller towns for resources.
The story follows a teenager named Tom Natsworthy who, along with a young woman from a territory known as the Outlands, uncovers a mystery that could change the world order. Jackson’s protege Christian Rivers is directing the project which is currently shooting in New Zealand.
Source: Heat Vision

 

[FVD]

Rivers deserves it. It's crazy seeing him drawing the earliest LOTR storyboards to now directing something like this. I wish him luck.

I agree. Gotta pull the middle finger to all those negative-Nancy's who complain that Rivers shouldn't be directing this and thus, passing the reigns to his mentor instead. Jeez, the pessimism of people really gets under my skin at times. Sometimes it's best just to never read those bloody comments under every article you read. Christian has had a brilliant mentor in Peter Jackson. The guy really has proven his worth and I wish him the best.