WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Oct. 25 (UPI) — New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson has taken to Facebook to announce his next project — a big-screen adaptation of Philip Reeve’s novel “Mortal Engines.”
“It’s been a quiet few months, but I’m very happy to tell you that our next project is now underway,” Jackson said in Monday’s post.
Jackson is producing the picture through his WingNut Films banner for Universal. He co-wrote the script with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, and Christian Rivers is set to start directing in March.
“If you haven’t read the books, you should. They present a stunning look into the future, when all of Earth’s major cities are now mounted on wheels, roaming across the landscape as massive ‘Traction Cities.’ Our society has build itself on the principals of Municipal Darwinism – this basically involves the bigger cities hunting down, and consuming, the smaller ones. And that’s only the backdrop to an original and emotional personal story,” Jackson explained. “Philip Reeve has created a range of intriguing characters, following their adventures in our strange future world through four books – Mortal Engines, Predator’s Gold, Infernal Devices and A Darkling Plain. The moment we read these novels, we knew what exciting movies they’d make. I literally can’t wait to see them!”
No casting has been announced yet.
Jackson is best known for helming “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogies.
