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 The New Zealand-born director, known for his "The Lord of the
Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, produced and co-wrote the
script for the film, based on the young adult book series by
Philip Reeve.
Oscar-winning visual effects artist Christian Rivers, who worked
with Jackson on the Tolkien adaptations as well as 2005's "King
Kong" makes his directorial in the film, set hundreds of years
after a catastrophic event wipes out civilizations.
"Once 'The Hobbit' was done, we were looking forward to getting
this made," Jackson told Reuters at the film's premiere in
London on Tuesday.
"I didn't want (Rivers) to make his first feature with somebody
else ... I wanted to be part of helping him get his feature film
career off the ground ... He's done an amazing job."
In the film, humans live in gigantic moving cities which devour
smaller towns. A group made up of an outlaw, outcast and
mysterious woman lead a rebellion against one such predator
city, London.
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"It was the fear of saying yes because I knew how much work it would
be and it was also a fear of saying no, if I said no and someone
else made it and it wasn't any good, I'd be kicking myself," Rivers
said about directing "Mortal Engines".
"It was a freight train, it was a big film that came in and I had to
jump on and take the ride."
On top of his work in the art department, Rivers was a second unit
director on the last two "Hobbit" films, the last of which came out
in 2014.
Since then, Jackson directed World War One documentary "They Shall
Not Grow Old", released this month.
"Mortal Engines" features a young cast led by Icelandic actress Hera
Hilmar. "Matrix" and "The Hobbit" actor Hugo Weaving also stars in
the film.
(Reporting By Lisa Keddie; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian;
Editing by Alison Williams)
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