Mortal Engines is an upcoming post-apocalyptic adventure film directed by Christian Rivers and with a screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson, based on the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve. An American-New Zealand co-production, the film is set in a post-apocalyptic steampunk world where entire cities have been mounted on wheels and motorised, and prey on one another. It stars Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide, and Stephen Lang.
Mortal Engines | |
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Directed by | Christian Rivers |
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Screenplay by |
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Based on | Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve |
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Music by | Junkie XL |
Cinematography | Simon Raby |
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Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Language | English |
Budget | $100 million |
The film is scheduled to have its premiere on November 27, 2018 in London, and is scheduled to be theatrically released in Australia and New Zealand on December 6, 2018 and in the United States on December 14, 2018.
Screenplay
Tom is a sixteen-year-old Londoner who has only ever lived inside his travelling hometown, and his feet have never touched grass, mud or land. His first taste of the outside comes quite abruptly: Tom gets in the way of the masked Hester's attempt to kill Thaddeus Valentine, a powerful man she blames for her mother’s murder, and both Hester and Tom end up thrown out of the moving "traction" city, to fend for themselves.
- Hera Hilmar as Hester Shaw, a disfigured, fugitive assassin with a personal vendetta against Thaddeus.
- Robert Sheehan as Tom Natsworthy, a low-class apprentice historian of London thrown out of the city and forced to ally himself with Hester and the resistance.
- Hugo Weaving as Thaddeus Valentine, Head of the Guild of Historians and the father of Katherine Valentine.
- Jihae as Anna Fang, a pilot and leader of the Anti-Traction League, a resistance group banding against the moving cities devouring Earth's resources.
- Ronan Raftery as Bevis Pod, an apprentice engineer whom Katherine befriends.
- Leila George as Katherine Valentine, daughter of Thaddeus Valentine and one of London's elite.
- Patrick Malahide as Magnus Crome, the Mayor of London.
- Stephen Lang as Shrike, the last of an undead battalion of soldiers known as Stalkers, who were war casualties re-animated with machine parts. He raised Hester and now works for Crome.
Additionally, Colin Salmon plays Chudleigh Pomeroy, Tom’s historian boss; Regé-Jean Page plays Captain Khora; Mark Hadlow plays Orme Wreyland, a villainous leader of a small town called Speedwell; Caren Pistorius plays Pandora Shaw, Hester’s deceased mother; Leifur Sigurdarson plays Nils Lindstrom, an aviator; Kee Chan plays Governor Kwan; Sophie Cox plays Clytie Potts; Aaron Jackson plays Gench; Stephen Ure plays Pewsey; Mark Mitchinson plays Vambrace; Menik Gooneratne plays Sathya; Andrew Lees plays London's Chief Navigator; and Peter Jackson cameos as Sooty Pete.
In December 2009, New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson was reported to have begun development of a film based on Philip Reeve's novel Mortal Engines. On October 24, 2016, production started on a feature film to be directed by Christian Rivers, marking his directorial debut. The script was written by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, while Media Rights Capital and Universal Pictures would be financing the film. Shooting was scheduled to start in March 2017 in Wellington, New Zealand. Producers Zane Weiner and Amanda Walker, who both worked on The Hobbit, will be spearheading the NZ based team, along with Deborah Forte in the US.
In February 2017, Robert Sheehan was cast in the film for the lead role along with Ronan Raftery for a supporting role, while Hera Hilmar was cast as a female lead. In March 2017, more cast was announced including Stephen Lang, Jihae, and newcomer Leila George. Hugo Weaving, Patrick Malahide, Colin Salmon, and Regé-Jean Page joined the film in April 2017. Richard Armitage was offered a role but passed due to scheduling conflicts.
Principal photography on the film began in April 2017, with shooting occurring at Stone Street Studios in Wellington, New Zealand, and was completed in July 2017.
Mortal Engines is scheduled for release by Universal Pictures in New Zealand on December 7, 2018 and in the United States on December 14, 2018, in 3D, Dolby Cinema and IMAX 3D.
Box office projections
In the United States and Canada, Mortal Engines will be released alongside Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and The Mule, and is projected to gross $12–15 million in its opening weekend.