Universal has released two new featurettes for their upcoming sci/fi adventure Mortal Engines. Co-written by Peter Jackson and directed by Christian Rivers, Mortal Engines is based on the book series by Phillip Reeve and is set hundreds of years after a cataclysmic event that destroyed civilization. Hester Shaw, a mysterious young woman, is fiercely driven by the memory of her and joins forces with an outcast and dangerous outlaw to stop London, now a giant, predator city on wheels, from devouring everything in its path.

This ridiculously interesting. As outrageous or chaotic as the trailers look, or even the idea is, there’s something seriously intriguing about it all. While I don’t expect the film to answer some of the larger questions I have, it looks like it could be some fun in the theater. I know what I’ll be getting from this movie. Jackson is a great writer, but sadly, Rivers just doesn’t have the experience as a filmmaker to get me excited for it. Too many times have we see, writers, stunt coordinators or others set behind the camera to film a movie and completely flop. Has it gone right before? Yes, there have been a few, but sadly, those few haven’t turned the tide for those who are part of that larger group.

If there’s anything to be excited about with this movie, it’s the visuals. Jackson’s films obviously always have a beautiful look to them, but Rivers himself is an Oscar-winning visual-effects artist who worked on King Kong with Jackson. So whether or not it’s cheesy, bad, boring or hopefully just a little bit of fun, it will without a doubt be one of the best looking movies of the year.

Check out the new featurettes below, and don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments! Have you read this book series? What have you thought about the trailers? Will you be giving it a shot this Christmas? Starring Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Colin Salmon, Caren Pistorius, Stephen Lang and Hugo Weaving, Rivers’ Mortal Engines will smash into theaters on December 14th.

Hundreds of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, a mysterious young woman, Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar), emerges as the only one who can stop London — now a giant, predator city on wheels — from devouring everything in its path. Feral, and fiercely driven by the memory of her mother, Hester joins forces with Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan), an outcast from London, along with Anna Fang (Jihae), a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head.