For some time, filmmaker Peter Jackson has been working on an adaptation of the YA novel quartet, Mortal Engines, written by Philip Reeve. This film takes place in a steampunk-esque version of London, and really has the potential to show off a world no one has seen yet.

While Jackson himself is not tackling directing duty on this one (he’ll be producing), he gave the reins to visual effects artist Christian Rivers, who will be making his directorial debut with this movie. Given Rivers’ background, and work on films like King Kong and Lord of the Rings, this one is sure to visually astound, but we’ll be interested to see how it fares in other departments (though it does have the benefit of being shot from a script from the Oscar-winning team of Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Fran Walsh).

Now, Universal Pictures has released its first teaser for the film. Check it out above!

The official synopsis for Mortal Engines is below:

“Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan)—who hails from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London—finds himself fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar). Two opposites, whose paths should never have crossed, forge an unlikely alliance that is destined to change the course of the future.”

While we’re only given the smallest taste here, this first teaser more than intrigues me. While steampunk is a genre that’s fared well in comics, manga, and anime, it hasn’t really had its fair shake on the big screen. If this one works, then we may very well see more similar-looking films in the near future. We’re definitely at a point in visual effects where something like this can be brought to the big screen.

What did you think of this teaser? Let us know down below!

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SOURCE: 20th Century Fox