Peter Jackson’s upcoming sci-fi picture Mortal Engines is facing a bit of an uphill battle. Steampunk has never been the biggest genre in the filmsphere, and while the overall aesthetic is pretty cool, it is a bit odd for most audiences, and I seriously do not envy the prospect of trying to sell it.

The folks over at Universal seem to understand that audiences will need a bit of a primer on this story and world, and have released a new featurette that delves into the film. While they very well could have focused mostly on the world of Mortal Engines, they made the good decision to focus mostly on the characters, their relationships, and their plight.

I’m still a bit unsure about whether or not the performances and script will be up to snuff, but I am very much enjoying what we’ve seen so far, just from a world-building standpoint, and I seriously can’t wait to see what comes of the movie. Will audiences be sold on this weird world? We’ll have to wait and see.

RELATED – Why Peter Jackson Didn’t Direct Mortal Engines

Below is the synopsis for Mortal Engines:

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.

Mortal Engines hits theaters on December 14, 2018.

Don’t forget to share this post on your Facebook wall and with your Twitter followers! Just hit the buttons on the top of this page.

SOURCE: Universal Pictures