Mortal Engine

Mortal Engines is a 2018 steampunk film directed by Christian Rivers and written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson, based on Philip Reeve's 2001 novel of the same name, and starring Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide, Regé Jean, and others.

Mortal Engines is a 2018 steampunk film directed by Christian Rivers and written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson. It is based on Philip Reeve's 2001 novel of the same name, and stars Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide, Regé Jean Page, and Stephen Lang. The film, a co-production between the United States and New Zealand, is set in a post-apocalyptic future where entire towns have been put on wheels and motorized, practicing municipal Darwinism; its movie universe differs from that of the books. 

Jackson acquired the film rights to the novel in 2009, but the project stalled for several years before being formally announced in 2016. Rivers, who earned an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on Jackson's King Kong, was chosen to make his feature-length directing debut with the movie, and Jackson also brought on other members of his production teams from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series. Filming took conducted in New Zealand from April to July of 2017.

Mortal Engines had its global debut on November 27, 2018, in London, and was released theatrically on December 6, 2018, in Australia and New Zealand, and on December 14, 2018, in the United States. [8] Critics gave the picture mixed reviews, with some complimenting the visual effects and score but most criticizing the director, storyline, and "lack of personality." [9] It was one of the largest box office flops in history, generating $83.7 million against a production budget of $100–150 million, resulting in a $175 million loss for the studio.