Following his ventures into Middle Earth, movie fans know Jackson can handle a vast fantasy world.

Now he’s tackling Philip Reeve’s post-apocalyptic steampunk novel, Mortal Engines.

Following the Sixty Minute War, cities have become vast vehicles (Traction cities) that travel across waste lands searching for smaller mobile settlements to engulf for their resources.

Mortal Engines follows London in this world of Municipal Darwinism and specifically Tom Natsworthy, who embarks on an adventure with Hester Shaw, a girl with a disfigured face.

Her character is played by Hera Hilmar, while Robert Sheehan is Tom.

Hugo Weaving stars as the villainous Thaddeus Valentine, Head of the Guild of Historians.

Jackson may not be directing, but he’s producing and wrote the screenplay with his wife Fran Walsh, who also worked on Lord of the Rings.

Meanwhile Christian Rivers will direct Mortal Engines, having been visual effects supervisor on Lord of the Rings and Splinter unit director on The Hobbit trilogy.

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The story is the first book in a quartet of novels, including Predator’s Gold, Infernal Devices and A Darkling Plain, alongside spin-off prequels, so lots of room for a franchise here.

Mortal Engines will be released in UK cinemas on December 14, 2018.