Jackson returns to the screen
LONDON: Oscarwinning filmmaker Peter Jackson is returning to the big screen with adventure fantasy Mortal Engines, a postapocalyptic tale of survival in his first feature film project since his awardwinning adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels.
The New Zealandborn director, known for his The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, produced and cowrote the script for the film, based on the young adult book series by Philip Reeve.
Oscarwinning visual effects artist Christian Rivers, who worked with Jackson on the Tolkien adaptations and King Kong makes his directorial debut in the film, set hundreds of years after a catastrophic event wipes out civilisations.
‘‘Once The Hobbit was done, we were looking forward to getting this made,’’ Jackson told Reuters at the film’s premiere in London yesterday.
‘‘I didn’t want [Rivers] to make his first feature with somebody else . . . I wanted to be part of helping him get his feature film career off the ground . . . He’s done an amazing job.’’
In the film, humans live in gigantic moving cities which devour smaller towns. A group made up of an outlaw, outcast and mysterious woman lead a rebellion against one such predator city, London.
Mortal Engines features a young cast led by Icelandic actress Hera Hilmar.
Matrix and The Hobbit actor Hugo Weaving also stars in the film. — Reuters