War Of The Worlds Returns Under Spielberg, Cruise

Harken back to 1938 when young writer and radio actor Orson Welles pens a story of destruction and mayhem at the hands of invading martians. Welles often performed his writings with other actors on the Mercury Theatre of the Air and on Halloween of ’38, that very story was played out over the air waves, but with a twist. Actors played characters of the media, unwittingly (perhaps) fooling listeners into thinking that what they were hearing was actual events from real news reporters, causing some to panic and other to prosecute.

War of the Worlds inspired hundreds of other such stories to be written and eventually turned into film or television. Too many to name. War of the Worlds iteself spawned a film of the same name in 1953, whose basic plot is of the initial joy of space visitors, then horror as the creatures destroy everything in sight for no real purpose.

Look for it again in films, this time though being helmed by the Close Encounters man himself, Steven Spielberg. Given to any other director, this reporter would expect the worse, but I’ve never seen anything poorly done by the man. Throw onto that fire both producing and starring credits given to Tom Cruise, according IMDB. Also on board is David Koepp, writer and screenplay for Jurrasic Park, Mission: Impossible and Spider-Man.

The movie has been announced for 2006 and will likely be a special effects bonanza, but still stick to Welle’s classic novel. Naturally, this will be an Amblin Entertainment film and released by Dreamworks/Paramount.