Peter Jackson To Adapt Mortal Engines Books Into Movies

Director Peter Jackson has finally found his first project since since The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

In the past few years, Jackson's name has been attached to numerous projects that never seem to follow suit or get past the idea stage.

Now it is confirmed that the prolific director will be writing and producing the film adaptation of Mortal Engines - a series of young adult sci-fi fantasy novels written Philip Reeves.

Jackson, his wife Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens (who also worked with him on The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies) have already penned the script. Christian Rivers (who won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for King Kong) has been tapped to direct Mortal Engines in his official directorial debut.

Donna Langley of Universal Pictures said,"Peter, Fran, Philippa and Christian are all visionary storytellers with the gift of turning their passion projects into beloved blockbusters for a worldwide audience."

Mortal Engines is the first of four novels in Philip Reeve's quartet of the same name. The book focuses on a futuristic, steampunk version of London, now a giant machine striving to survive on a post-apocalyptic world running out of resources and plagued with natural disasters.

Jackson commented on Christian directing his first film,"Christian is one of my closest collaborators. The combination of emotion and jaw-dropping visuals in 'Mortal Engines' makes this the perfect movie for his move into feature directing. What Christian intends to do with Philip Reeve's terrific story is going to result in an original and spectacular movie. I wish I could see it tomorrow!"

Mortal Engines, the first film in the franchise will start production in New Zealand in the spring of 2017.