Universal Pictures just released the first official teaser trailer for Mortal Engines, based on the critically acclaimed bestselling book series by Philip Reeve. The first minute and a half teaser focuses on one specific scene, setting up the world of Mortal Engines without giving too much away.
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens adapted Reeve’s work for the screen. The cast of the action adventure film includes Hugo Weaving (The Hobbit films, Cloud Atlas), Hera Hilmar (Harley and the Davidsons, Da Vinci’s Demons), Robert Sheehan (The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Me and Mrs. Jones), Jihae (Mars), Ronan Raftery (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Terror), Leila George (Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?), Patrick Malahide (Indian Summers, Game of Thrones), and Stephen Lang (the Avatar films, Into the Badlands).
Oscar-winning visual effects artist Christian Rivers (King Kong) makes his feature film directorial debut with the much-anticipated film. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Zane Weiner (The Hobbit trilogy), Amanda Walker (The Hobbit trilogy) and Deborah Forte (Goosebumps) produced, and Philippa Boyens and Ken Kamins executive produced.
“Mortal Engines is one of those stories that was made for the big screen,” stated director Rivers. “A fantastical, futuristic world that has to be seen to be believed. At its heart though, it’s a beautiful love story and a richly complex character driven adventure. To be the director who gets to bring Philip Reeve’s incredible universe to life is a dream come true.”
Universal Pictures is targeting a December 14, 2018 theatrical release.
The Plot: 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.
