Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines has just added a well known new cast member per new a repor. Variety reports that Hugo Weaving, who previously worked with the director on The Lord of Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, has joined the cast. Hugo Weaving joins a Mortal Engines cast that currently includes Robbie Sheehan (Fortitude, upcoming Geostorm), Ronan Raftery (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Hera Hilmar (Da Vinci’s Demons), Stephen Lang (Avatar), South Korean singer and actress Jihae (Mars), and Leila George (Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?).
Set in a world many thousands of years in the future, Mortal Engines begins as Earth’s cities now roam the globe on huge wheels, devouring each other in a struggle for ever diminishing resources. On one of these massive Traction Cities, Tom Natsworthy has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious young woman from the Outlands who will change the course of his life forever.
Jackson and Walsh optioned the rights to Mortal Engines from Scholastic several years ago. They’ve co-written the screenplay with collaborator Philippa Boyens (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies). The film is based on the award-winning book series from author Philip Reeve and will be directed by Christian Rivers. Rivers has worked with Jackson for over two decades as a story board artist, on visual effects and as a Splinter Unit Director on The Hobbit trilogy. He won the Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for his work on King Kong, though this is his directorial debut. MRC and Universal are co-financing the film. Universal Pictures will also serve as worldwide distributor.
Mortal Engines will come to the big screen on December 14, 2018.
