H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds (The Asylum film)
A contemporary adaptation of H. G. Wells' alien invasion novel.
In 2005, The Asylum released *H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds*, retitled *Invasion* internationally. Directed and co-written by David Michael Latt, this American science fiction film adapts the classic H. G. Wells novel and was one of three such adaptations to appear that year, arriving after versions by Steven Spielberg and Timothy Hines. The cast includes C. Thomas Howell, Peter Greene, and Jake Busey. The story moves the novel’s setting to contemporary America, following an astronomer who struggles to reach his family amid an extraterrestrial invasion. The screenplay draws loosely from an unproduced 1997 script called "Invasion" by Carlos De Los Rios. Released on DVD on June 28, 2005—one day before Spielberg’s film's theatrical release—it became The Asylum’s biggest hit, selling over 250,000 copies through Blockbuster. A sequel, *War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave*, followed in 2008.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Action / Adventure / Horror / Sci-Fi / Thriller
- Director
- David Michael Latt
- Producer
- David Rimawi
- Writer
- David Michael Latt / Carlos De Los Rios
- Starring
- C. Thomas Howell / Rhett Giles / Tinarie Van Wyk-Loots / Andy Lauer / Peter Greene / Jake Busey
- Based On
- The War of the Worlds · H. G. Wells
- Music
- Ralph Rieckermann
- Cinematography
- Steven Parker / Lucia Diaz Sas
- Company
- The Asylum
- Released
- 2005-06-28
- Runtime
- 90 minutes
- Country
- United States / Japan
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film is a contemporary translation of the novel set in the United States, telling of an invasion of Earth by technologically advanced extraterrestrials from the perspective of an American astronomer trying to reunite with his family. The film is loosely based on an unproduced screenplay called 'Invasion', written by Carlos De Los Rios in 1997. The film was released on DVD on June 28, one day before Spielberg's film's theatrical release.
Reader's Guide
H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds (2005) is notable as The Asylum's most commercially successful production, with over 250,000 copies sold through Blockbuster. It is one of three film adaptations of Wells' novel released in 2005, alongside Steven Spielberg's blockbuster and Timothy Hines' version. The film deviates from the novel in several ways: the tripods are replaced by six-legged crab-like machines called 'walkers', the Martians are insect-like with acid-spitting abilities, and the protagonist, an astronomer named George Herbert, actively attempts to stop the aliens. The film includes homages to the 1953 film version, such as the aliens' hands. Reception was mixed, with some critics calling it a 'perfectly entertaining little diversion' while others dismissed it as 'junk'. A sequel, War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave, was released in 2008, with C. Thomas Howell directing and reprising his role.
Did You Know?
- The film was released on DVD on June 28, 2005, one day before Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds opened in theaters.
- The protagonist's name, George Herbert, is a reference to H. G. Wells.
- The film's aliens have the ability to spit acid from their feet, which melts anything.
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