Mortal Engines

**Mortal Engines** is a 2018 sci-fi adventure film based on the 2001 novel of the same name.

## Plot synopsis

Millenia after much of the world was destroyed in the 60 minute war, seismic and climatic changes force most survivors to live as nomads. As technology and society revives, this culminates in the Traction Cities -great vehicles carrying people and machinery to sustain life, gathering material by chasing and seizing (called 'eating') smaller cities. This way of life, called Municipal Darwinism, is opposed by the Anti-Traction League, who hide behind mountains, fleets of airships and ruthless agents.

London, first of the Traction Cities, returns to the great hunting ground, but onboard its new catch is a dangerous secret. As it speeds east, to destinations known only to it's scheming mayor Crome (Patrick Malahide), events between the decks take a sinister turn.

Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan), low-class apprentice historian of London, is thrown out of the city, betrayed by his childhood-hero Thadeus Valentine (Hugo Weaving, an adventurer hunting relics of pre-war tech) whom he just saved from assasination. His only way home is to follow the assassin, Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar), through the mud and peril of the Great Hunting Ground on her suicide-mission of revenge, and find out what secret Valentine is hiding.

Aided by Anna Fang, an agent of the League (Jihae) and hunted by an ancient undead cyborg warrior, Shrike (Stephen Lang), obsessed with Hester, the journey takes them through slavers, pirate suburbs, and the flying-city of Airhaven. But as he discovers Hester's past and the old-tech terror London unleashes, will there still be home for Tom to return to? And before the Shield-Wall of Batmunkh Gompa, on which side will they fight?

## Plot

Following a cataclysmic conflict known as the Sixty Minute War, the remnants of humanity regroup and form mobile "predator" cities. Under a philosophy known as "Municipal Darwinism", larger cities hunt and absorb smaller settlements in the "Great Hunting Ground", which includes Great Britain and Continental Europe. In opposition, settlements of the "Anti-Traction League" have developed an alternative civilization consisting of "static settlements" (traditional, non-mobile cities) in Asia led by Shan Guo (formerly China), protected by the "Shield Wall". Relics of modern technology such as toasters, computers, and smartphones are valued as "Old-Tech."

The city of London captures a small mining town called Salzhaken, absorbing its population and resources, under orders of Lord Mayor Magnus Crome. A masked woman among the Salzhakens is Hester Shaw, who seeks to assassinate Thaddeus Valentine, Head of the Guild of Historians. Tom Natsworthy, a teenage Apprentice Historian, is sent to London's "Gut" to collect Old-Tech for London's Museum, accompanied by Valentine's good-natured daughter Katherine. Hester attempts to kill Valentine but Tom intervenes, pursuing Hester to a waste chute. Hester escapes, but not before telling him that Valentine murdered her mother and scarred her face. When Tom informs Valentine of this, he pushes Tom down the chute.

Tom and Hester are forced to work together to traverse the Great Hunting Ground, finding refuge in a town called Scuttlebug, but the owners lock them in a cell and intend to sell them as slaves. Hester confides that Valentine killed her archaeologist mother Pandora after stealing a piece of Old-Tech she found in a dig in the Dead Continent of Americas, whilst young Hester escaped with a necklace her mother gave her. Meanwhile, Valentine frees Shrike, a reanimated cyborg known as a "Stalker", from an offshore prison to hunt down and kill Hester. At the slave market of Rustwater, Tom and Hester are rescued by Anti-Traction League agent Anna Fang. During the chaos, Tom and Hester are pursued by Shrike, whom Hester reveals she knows. Hester explains that Shrike had found and raised her, and Hester promised to allow him to turn her into a Stalker like himself, but she left after discovering that London was in the Great Hunting Ground. On London, Katherine grows estranged from her father, especially after learning from Apprentice Engineer Bevis Pod that Valentine pushed Tom down the chute, and that Valentine's energy project in the re-purposed St Paul's Cathedral is more than it seems.

Hester and Tom travel on Anna's airship the *Jenny Haniver* to the airborne city Airhaven, meeting with other members of the Anti-Traction League. Tom realizes what Pandora discovered is MEDUSA, a superweapon that can destroy cities in an instant. Shrike catches up with them and Airhaven is destroyed in the ensuing fire. Following a fierce skirmish, Shrike is mortally wounded, realizing that Hester is in love with Tom. Before perishing, he makes peace with Hester and frees her of her promise. Hester, Tom, and Anna then travel to the Shield Wall with the surviving Anti-Tractionists. On London, Valentine kills Crome in a coup and drums up support from Londoners by vowing to destroy the Shield Wall with MEDUSA and lead them to a new Hunting Ground in Asia. Anna convinces Governor Kwan to launch the Anti-Tractionist fleet against London, but MEDUSA destroys the fleet and blasts a hole through the Shield Wall. Hester discovers that her mother's necklace hides a "crash drive" with a kill switch for MEDUSA. Hester, Tom, Anna, and the remaining Anti-Tractionists lead a raid against London, braving the city's anti-aircraft defences.

Hester and Anna infiltrate St Paul's, and though Valentine mortally wounds Anna during a sword duel, Hester disables MEDUSA with the crash drive. Still determined to destroy the Shield Wall, Valentine orders his henchmen to kill the city's control crew and ram it into the Wall. With Katherine's help, Tom uses the *Jenny Haniver* to destroy London's engine. Valentine attempts to flee but Hester pursues and fights him aboard his airship, where he reveals he is her father. Tom rescues Hester and shoots down Valentine's ship, which is crushed by London's slowing tracks, killing Valentine. The surviving Londoners, led by Katherine, make peace with the Anti-Tractionists, whilst Tom and Hester travel in the *Jenny Haniver* to see the world.

## Cast

* Hera Hilmar as Hester Shaw
* Robert Sheehan as Tom Natsworthy
* Hugo Weaving as Thaddeus Valentine
* Jihae as Anna Fang (as Jihae Kim)
* Ronan Raftery as Bevis Pod
* Leila George as Katherine Valentine
* Patrick Malahide as Magnus Crome
* Stephen Lang as Shrike
* Colin Salmon as Chudleigh Pomeroy
* Mark Mitchinson as Vambrace
* Regé-Jean Page as Captain Khora
* Menik Gooneratne as Sathya
* Frankie Adams as Yasmina Rashid
* Leifur Sigurdarson as Nils Lindstrom
* Kahn West as Toa Heke
* Andrew Lees as Herbert Melliphant
* Sophie Cox as Clytie Potts
* Kee Chan as Governor Kwan
* Sarah Peirse as Dr. Twix
* Mark Hadlow as Stigwood
* Caren Pistorius as Pandora Shaw
* Poppy Macleod as Young Hester
* Joel Tobeck as Burgermeister
* Terry Norris as Professor Arkengarth
* Calum Gittins as Chief Navigator
* Megan Edwards as Mrs. Wreyland
* Peter Rowley as Mr. Wreyland
* Aaron Jackson as Gench
* Stephen Ure as Pewsey
* Nathaniel Lees as Pierrepoint
* Paul Yates as Dietrich
* Lynda Lester as Voice of Medusa (voice)
* Nick Blake as Waving Aviator
* Beatrice Brophy as Young Mother (as Beatrice Joblin)
* Thomas La Hood as Lookout (as Thomas Lahood)
* Simbarashe Matshe as Water Hawker (as Simba Matshe)
* Lee Tuson as Salzhakener
* Jason Whyte as Food Hawker
* Michael Homick as De Groot (as Mike Homik)
* Carter Nixon as Scav Trader Carter
* Rick Baker as Tube Tannoy (voice)
* Royden Davys as Salvage Man #1
* Richard Mills as Salvage Man #2
* Shane Rangi as Burly Salvageman
* Yoson An as Major Chen
* Philip Reeve as Shan Guo Man
* Sam Reeve as Shan Guo Teenager
* Himself as Nicholas Quirke
* Martin Kwok as Shan Guo Control
* Seth F. Miller as Airhaven Control (as Seth Miller)

### Uncredited

* Madeleine Adams as Salzhaken Woman
* Natalia Adams as Scuttlebug Captive
* Nellica Adaway as Rustwater Captive
* Kaio Afoa as London Beefeater
* Abdul Ali as Londoner/Sharkmoor Prisoner
* Josh Allen as Londoner
* Odette Anscombe-Smith as Babushka/Salzhakener
* Manuela Antonia as Extra
* Lilia Askew as Extra
* Ethan Aupapa as Tier 1 Londoner
* Margaret Austin as Museum Woman
* Roger Awhimate as Londoner/Rustwater Buyer
* Aurora Bailey as Salzhaken Maiden
* Terena Bailey as Rustwater Captive
* Jasper Barkett-Greenberg as Extra
* Lee Barrett as London Gut Captive
* James Bayliss as Extra
* Grant Beban as London Gentleman
* Samantha Beca as Rustwater Buyer
* Lucy Beeler as Medusa Engineer
* Poppy Bell as Lace Face Lady
* Michael Bennett as London Gentleman
* Pele Bennett as London Lady
* Matt Berry as Historian
* Kate Bicknell as Child
* Ian Bonallack as Gut Worker
* Dorothy Anne Bonner as Rustwater Captive
* Sue Boyde as Salzhaken Woman
* Talia Brewer as London Gut Captive
* Jared Brown as London Beefeater #1
* Connor Buchanan as Salzhaken Boy
* Mel Buchanan as Salzhaken Woman
* Ryan Buchanan as Salzhaken Boy
* Tessa Buchanan as Salzhaken Girl
* Olivia Buckley as Babushka
* Georgia Budd as Extra
* Hamish Burn as London Gut Worker/Salzhaken Townsfolk
* Grace Burnett as Londoner
* Liv Burrell as London Lady
* Hannah Burton as Salzhaken Woman
* Xavier St Cartmail as Crispin
* Danny Chanapoo as Extra
* Callum Chatfield as London Gut Worker
* Sam Church as London Policeman/Londoner
* Philip Cristian Claassen as Salt Trader
* Verity Claire as Extra
* Rodney Cook as Scuttebug Thug
* Trevor Cooper as Slave Trader
* Yvette Cottam as Salzhakener
* Paul Craze as Bar Patron
* Ayden Crewther as London Gut Worker
* Richie Davis as Salzhakener
* Benjamin Dawson as Rustwater Captive
* Elisha Day as Medusa Engineer
* Ruth Day as Londoner/Museum Woman
* Giampaolo De Guzman as Extra
* Colin Decio as Extra
* Loma Dellabarca as Salzhaken Woman
* Daniel Diaz as Extra
* Karl Dickson as Aviator
* Sally Dixon as Salzhaken Woman
* Shirley Domb as Slave Market Patron
* Meredith Dooley as Salzhakener
* Patrick Douciemat as Airhaven Citizen/Londoner
* Laura Douglas as London Navigator
* Hugh Dowel as Slave Trader
* Janelle Duff as London Tier 2 Lady
* Angus Dunn as Engineer
* Hannah Durojaiye as Extra
* Joel Elyeche as Londoner
* Blake Ervin as Scuttlebug Captive
* Claire Farrelly as Salzhakener
* Omar Faruque as Extra
* Shirley Fittes as Londoner/Rustwater Trader
* Liam Fitzmaurice as Londoner
* Sohail Forouzandeh as Airhaven Citizen
* Gary French as Street Sweeper
* Evan Frost as Water Carrier
* Sophie Fulton as Sweet Girl
* Mike Galuszka as Airhaven Citizen/London Gut Sewage Man
* Gillean Ross Garcia as Extra
* Paul Gaudin as Water Carrier
* Arnel Gaviola as Extra
* Chris Gemmell as Historian
* Nick Georgiakakis as Tool Trader
* Marie-Therese Emma Gilbert as Rustwater Trader
* Faran Gillbanks as London Policeman/Salzhaken Man/Water Carrier
* Dean Goble as Slave Trader
* Christine Godetz as Rustwater Slave Buyer
* Manaaki Graham as Extra
* Nathan Grant as Extra
* Stephen Grey as Salzhaken Refugee
* Daryl Hale as Grease Monkey
* Taylor Hall as TBA
* Frederick Hama as TBA
* Tim Hamilton as London Gut Captive
* Winham Hammond as Scuttlebug Thug
* Brittany Hanff as Extra
* Joel Hardwick as London Gut Worker/Rustwater Buyer
* Catherine Harper as Extra
* Julz Harris as London Gut Worker
* Toby Harvey as Extra
* Peter Hassall as Scuttlebug Thug
* Joel Hassan as London Gut - Salzhaken Crew
* Heston Hawe as Extra
* Elizabeth Hawthorne as Bored Teacher
* Khamza Heh as London Gut Worker/Rustwater Captive
* Oliver Heinrich as Salzhaken Navigator
* Jackson Herman as Beefeater #2
* Jonathan Hobman as Rustwater Captive
* Kathryn Briggs Hobbs as Salthook Refugee
* Rosie Holmes as Rustwater Buyer
* Marty Houston as Salzhaken Man
* Pollyanna Houtas as Extra
* Andrea Howard as Extra
* Alistair Hudson as Beefeater/London Security Guard
* Mike Hunter as London Gut Worker
* Katie Jackson as Londoner with Book
* Peter Jackson as Sooty Pete
* Daphne James as Tier 1 Lady
* Dee Jamieson as Salzhaken Woman
* Ben Johnson-Frow as Extra
* Jack Jones as London Engineer/Medusa Engineer
* Katy Jones as Londoner
* Teresa Julian as Salzhaken Woman
* Werner Kaffl as London Gut Worker
* Vikram Kaushal as Londoner
* Tamati Kawha as Shan Guo Soldier
* Rayburn Keen as Salzhakener
* Taynen Keen as Salzhaken Man
* Erin Kennedy as Londoner
* Ron Kerkmeester as Salzhaken Man
* Georgia King as Lace Face Lady
* Josh Kingsford as Extra
* William Kirby as Londoner
* Isabelle Rose Kircher as Rustwater Buyer
* Zachary Klavs as London Engineer
* Kristi Kleijn as Extra
* Daniel Koene as Extra
* Terewai Kopua as London Policeman
* Shannon Krishna as Tier 2 Londoner/Tier 3 Londoner
* Bobby Kumar as Rustwater Buyer
* David Lancaster as London Gentleman/Shan Guo Soldier
* Georgia Latief as Airhaven Citizen
* Jonate Lealea as Extra
* Jace Lee as London Policeman
* Rob Lee as Rustwater Captive/Slave Buyer
* Sunny Lee as Shan Guo Stallholder
* Allie Lemaire as Extra
* Ebony-Jordan Lewis as London Medic
* Aaron Livingston as Extra
* Rob MacBride as Airhaven Citizen
* Andrew Macinnes as Street Sweeper
* Phil Mackie as Salzhakener
* Leah Macmillan as Salzhaken Townsfolk
* Catherine Manchester as Salzhaken Woman
* Lauren Mann as Lace Face Lady
* Tim Mansell as Salzhaken Man
* Sam Manzanza as Rustwater Buyer/Salzhaken Man
* John Marwick as Extra
* Chris Mason as Gut Worker
* Mark Mataipule as Slave Trader
* Sue Mattsen as Extra
* Teal Mau as Airhaven Citizen
* Hamish Maule as Salzhakener
* Renee Maurice as Rustwater Buyer
* Barry Mawer as Tier 1 Londoner/Tier 2 Londoner
* Isobel McAlpine as Rustwater Buyer
* Fiona McCabe as Salzhaken Woman
* Finn McCauley as Extra
* Florence McFarlane as Slave Trader
* James McGregor as Salzhaken Man
* Shirley McGregor as Salzhaken Woman
* Maia McKee as Child
* Peter McKinnon as Rustwater Buyer/Slave
* Carlton McRae as Rustwater Trader/Salzhaken Man
* Dorian McRae as Medusa Engineer
* Rupert McRae as Medusa Engineer
* Liz Merton as Babushka
* Jenny Meyer as Salzhakener
* Iain Middleton as Londoner
* Troy Mihaka as Londoner
* Joseph Mika-Hunt as Rustwater Trader
* Keith Mole as Cossack/Rustwater Trader
* Angelo Mollo as London Gut Worker/Water Carrier
* Ethan Mooney as Engineer
* Olivia Morphew as Museum Child
* Andrew Morris as Cab Driver/Londoner/Tier 1 Londoner/Tier 3 Londoner
* Reagan Morris as Shan Guo Soldier
* Elliott Morrison as Extra
* Sheila Mottram as Babushka
* Liri Mrkusic as Salzhakener
* Jessica Muller as Salzhaken Woman
* Sarah Munn as Slave
* Gretchen Murray as London Lady
* Katie Musgrove as Extra
* Tony Musha as Salzhaken Man
* Arun Nair as Extra
* Tyson Nemuhula as Water Carrier
* Heather Newton as Londoner
* Sheehan Ngeru as Gut Worker
* Jimmy James Nielsen as Rustwater Trader/Salzhakener
* Kade Nightingale as London Gentleman
* Heidi Noble as Elite Engineer
* Kevin Noble as Rustwater Captive
* Stephen O'Neill as Trading Cluster Water Carrier
* Ivy Padilla as Extra
* Samantha Pardo as Babushka
* Jeanette Parker as Gut Worker
* Chris Parry as Gut Worker
* Danni Parsons as Rustwater Captive/Salzhakener/Scavenger/Scuttlebug Captive
* Kate Parsons as Lace Face Lady
* Isobel Pearce as Extra
* Kayla Pearse as Extra
* April Phillips as Medic
* Hillary Phillips as Rustwater Trader
* Wayne Phillips as Rustwater Trader
* Luc Powell as Extra
* Jazz Prasad as London Medic
* Martin Pratt as London Policeman
* Jonathan Price as Rustwater Trader
* David Priest as Salzhakener
* Ingrid Prosser as Londoner
* Lucky Purre as Extra
* Jacob Rajan as TBA
* Jett Ranchhod as Extra
* Khalid Razouk as Extra
* Rob Redgrove as Historian
* Chris Reed as Rustwater Trader
* Leon Reedijk as Rustwater Trader
* Beth Reille as Salzhaken Woman
* Amiekay Richcrick as Extra
* Jordan Rivers as Captain Goucho
* Tom Robinson as Rustwater Captive/Rustwater Trader
* Alex Rodriguez as Airhaven Citizen/Shadow Runner
* Arne Roeben as Salzhakener
* Alex Rogers as Extra
* Phillippa Roil-Glendenning as Slave Market Patron
* Sarah Roussel as Londoner
* William Rowland as London Policeman
* Natasha Rowley as Salzhakener
* Andrea Ruglys as Salzhakener
* Helen Sales as London Gut Captive
* Ben Samson as Medusa Engineer
* Dee Schaare as Extra
* David Scheepers as Extra
* Andrew Schnetler as Grease Monkey/London Gut Worker
* Tony Shaw as Top Tier Londoner
* Thórey Sigthórsdóttir as Londoner
* Charlotte Simpson as Extra
* Bruce Sinclair as Rustwater Trader
* Dianne Smith as Salzhaken Woman
* John R. Smith as Salzhakener
* Tehaunui Shing Soi as London Navigator/Shan Guo Soldier
* Frederik Sorensen as Extra
* Dale Spence as London Beefeater/Salt Water Guard
* David Stella as Guard
* Hayley Stent as Slave
* Olaf Stenzel as Policeman
* Benjamin Steyn as Extra
* Isabella Stratton as Extra
* Ken Stratton as Rustwater Trader
* Lee Stuart as Tier 2 Londoner
* Sean Sullivan as Cossack
* Ryan Tarran as Guard
* Kasesa Tauaneai as London Gut Worker
* Janet Taukiri as London Gut Captive
* Pirimai Te Rure as Londoner
* Jessica Teh as Extra
* Angelica Thomas as Shan Guo Citizen
* Andre Tigchelaar as London Engineer
* Krisa Maricar Tiongco as Shan Guo Citizen
* Oliver Tripp as Salzhakener
* Paul Trlin as Rustwater Buyer
* Ferdinand Valks as London Gut Worker/Rustwater Buyer/Slave
* Frankie Rose Vallis as London Tier 1 Lady
* Jade Valour as Londoner/Shan Guo Citizen
* Rikus Van Der Walt as Scuttlebug Thug
* Alexander Van Espen as Extra
* Andrew Van Klei as Rustwater Captive
* Peter van Rooyen as Londoner
* Efrain Villalobos Santana as Extra
* Sam Wadham as Nurse
* Maria Walker as TBA
* Jimi Ward as Extra
* Zachary Watene as Extra
* Jake Watson as Medusa Engineer
* Khryssi Watson as Rustwater Trader
* Amand Weaver as Scuttlebug Thug
* Collin Webster as Cossack
* Ray Webster as London Gut Worker
* Daniel Christopher White as Londoner
* Demesha Whyte as Extra
* Phillip Wilson as Salzhakener
* Vaughan Wilson as Salzhakener
* Christopher Winchester as Captive/Rustwater Trader
* Irene Wood as Elderly Lady
* Troy Woodward as Airhaven Citizen
* Stephen Wright as Captive/Rustwater Buyer
* Gage Robert Young as Extra
* Ben Yung as Shan Guo Soldier
* Timon Zeiss as Extra
* Garmay Zhu as Airhaven Citizen

## Production

In December 2009, New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson was reported to have begun development of a film based on the Philip Reeve's novel *Mortal Engines*. On October 24, 2016, production started on a feature film to be directed by Christian Rivers, marking his directorial debut. The script was written by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, while Media Rights Capital and Universal Pictures would be financing the film. Shooting was scheduled to start in March 2017 in New Zealand. Producers Zane Weiner and Amanda Walker, who both worked on *The Hobbit*, will be spearheading the NZ based team, along with Deborah Forte in the US.

In February 2017, Robert Sheehan was cast in the film for the lead role along with Ronan Raftery for a supporting role, while Hera Hilmar was cast as a female lead. In March 2017, more cast was announced including Stephen Lang, Jihae, and newcomer Leila George. Hugo Weaving, Patrick Malahide, Colin Salmon, and Regé-Jean Page joined the film in April 2017. Richard Armitage was offered a role but passed due to scheduling conflicts.

Principal photography on the film began in April 2017, with some shooting occurring at Stone Street Studios in Wellington, New Zealand, and was completed in July 2017.

## Cancelled sequels

While Peter Jackson is keen to develop a film series, there has been no formal announcement of sequel plans. When asked about the possibility of a second film, scriptwriter Philippa Boyens, stated that "mostly, this has to work as a film. This may be the only one... I hope not because I think the story just keeps getting better and better."

Hence, the Mortal Engines movie will feature particular references and keep a few doors open, allowing a sequel to pick up certain threads.

However, due to the poor performance of the box office and harsh reviews, there is no sequel planned.

On December 24, 2019, a space combat simulator mod for the *FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project*, entitled *Rekt Galaxies*, was announced as being set within the same universe as the film.

On November 18, author Philip Reeve, upon being asked by author Gabrille Bujak of UnBoxed Life Magazine regarding a possible future TV reboot of Mortal Engines, said that the proposal sound nice, though it was unlikely at this point.

## References

1. ↑ Why HBO Should Reboot Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/philipreeve1/status/1328836428432859137