Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines is coming to the big screen, courtesy of Peter Jackson.

The Lord of the Rings director will be producing the movie , but the film will be directed by Christian Rivers. Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens co-wrote the script based on Reeve’s quartet of novels. “Peter, Fran, Philippa and Christian are all visionary storytellers with the gift of turning their passion projects into beloved blockbusters for a worldwide audience,” Universal Pictures’ Donna Langley explained.

“Christian is one of my closest collaborators,” said Jackson, “The combination of emotion and jaw-dropping visuals in Mortal Engines makes this the perfect movie for his move into feature directing. What Christian intends to do with Philip Reeve’s terrific story is going to result in an original and spectacular movie. I wish I could see it tomorrow!”

Rivers added, “Mortal Engines is one of those stories that was made for the big screen. 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.”

Mortal Engines is the first of the Hungry City Chronicles. “In the distant future, cities on wheels fight each other for survival,” the first book cover explains. “As London pursues a small town, young apprentice Tom is flung out into the wastelands, where a terrifying cyborg begins to hunt him down…”

On his own website, Reeve noted “Exciting times!”