[movie] Peter Jackson to produce Mortal Engines film

[LeMarchand]

Philip Reeve

 

About time! He's had the rights since at least 2009!

 

For those that haven't read the book (and you should) it's the first of 4 (+ 3 prequels) set in a future steampunkish world where Municipal Darwinism is the rule of law: cities are mobile and "eat" each other. A member of the Historians Guild in London finds himself embroiled in an adventure that eventually spans the globe.

 

 

Been waiting for this for years. Hopefully it will be huge so that they get to do all 4 - the ending is devastating. Bit worried by Jackson & co's propensity for slapstick sequences and that the money men will forbid them from keeping one of the characters from being scarred (it's important to the tone). IMHO Philip Reeve is a far superior writer to others who have made millions and gained far more recognition in the YA/teen field, so I really hope this sees him improve his standing in both ways.

 

Also hoping this will see some movement on the other 2 Reeve books in development: Railhead (intergalactic trains + intrigue) and Larklight (Victorian adventure pastiche).

[SpuffMonkey]

Yay! They're fantastic books - definitely one to look forward to!

[Vegas]

Fantastic news, I loved the books.

[LeMarchand]

They've advertised for extras if we have any NZ-based members who can take time off. Also the first bits of casting: Ronan Rafferty (Dessie in Moone Boy and the nice brother in Fantastic Beasts) in an as yet unrevealed role and Robert Sheehan (Nathan from Misfits) as Tom. I'm guessing the character will be a bit older than in the book!

[LeMarchand]

...as there was mention of this in the "what are you reading?" thread: they've announced more cast members and confirmed who Ronan Rafferty will be playing https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/428078-mortal-engines .

 

Hera looks far too pretty to be Hester, and they are definitely ageing everyone up. Still, looks promising and I guess there's always prosthetics for Hester. I still suspect that she'll end up with a small scar and they'll have to cut the later bit where Pennyroyal's version of her only has a small scar rather than a ruined face.

[LeMarchand]

Teaser trailer has been rated by various film boards, with speculation that it will be attached to The Last Jedi. The BBFC say the teaser is due for release on the 14th. Hopefully it'll spark a bit more interest in the film, which neither SFX or DenOfGeek saw fit to include in their "2018 preview" articles .

[LeMarchand]

Teaser:

 

 

Not watched it yet - saving it to watch with Mme LeMarchand (unless we can wait until Wednesday...) - but from the thumbnail Hester (the girl with the scarf over her mouth) isn't as scarred as she is in the books.

[LeMarchand]

Watched the teaser last night (at home - wasn't attached to Jedi) and can see why people might think it will be "Mad Max"y, but it got me interested. Loved the aerial shot of London.

 

A little concerned by a couple of the changes that are apparent, but this is tempered by it being a minute's worth of footage from the very start of a film that is a year away from release.

[LeMarchand]

Reports from CinemaCon of the footage shown there seem to be variable, but generally positive. It appears that Hester will not be as horribly disfigured as in the book (as seen in the teaser), but will still be scarred. Hopefully she won't be a

 

titian-haired Amazon of the air whose divine face was marred only by a livid scar, where some brigand had drawn his stiletto across the damask flesh of her cheek

 

just in case they ever get as far as the third book (from which that inaccurate description comes).

[LeMarchand]

 

Looking good, in the case of Hester a bit too good. No Shrike (SFX not done or are they saving him for a later trailer?) and Tom seems to be wearing a ton of make-up. Who would have ever imagined that Nathan from Misfits would do so well?

 

For those that haven't read the books, what did you think of Hester

 

 

1. OMG!!! She's hideous!
   
2. Wow! Her face is messed up!
   
3. It's not that bad; she's still hot.
   
4. Scar? What scar?
   

[SpuffMonkey]

Its a 3 verging to 4 - ah well. Not looking forward to seeing Shrike as I have a very definite image of him in my head, which I know will be nothing like...

[LeMarchand]

"Making of" Featurette:

 

[Arthur]

[LeMarchand]

 

Looks like the old publicity machine is cranking up. As well as the two featurettes there are new character posters to match and a group poster.

 

 

...as well as a "World of..." book due Nov, movie cover release for the first book (at least) and the inevitable Funko Pops. No sign of Shrike anywhere yet.

 

Bet Robert Sheehan never imagined he's have his own poster in cinemas back when he was Nathan in "Misfits".

 

[LeMarchand]

Today it's Thaddeus Valentine's turn, so we'll probably get Anna Fang tomorrow.

 

 

 

Website update: you can now be sorted into a house Guild and chat with a bot Guild representative.

[Arthur]

we'll probably get Anna Fang tomorrow.

 

[Arthur]

[LeMarchand]

That's more like it!

 

Feel a bit sorry for Robert Sheehan now. I can see why they'd put Hester/Hera front-and-centre of publicity, but Tom is the main character in the book. Also, they may be making her too heroic. Still, much more excited by this trailer.

[Arthur]

[LeMarchand]

Costume Design this week.

 

[Arthur]

[LeMarchand]

 

When you see how many people work on films of this magnitude and how much effort goes into it you can see why they're so expensive - even before you get around to paying the "big name" wages.

[LeMarchand]

Model Makers.

 

[LeMarchand]

I think they're worrying about the lack of buzz this movie has! Yet another trailer, this one upping the stuff blowing up.

 

[Arthur]