Eleanor Tomlinson and Rafe Spall Battle Martians in the First Trailer For The War of the Worlds

H.G. Wells's classic science fiction story The War of the Worlds is getting a new adaptation from the BBC, and it looks like it's going to be a showstopper. This new adaptation takes the story back to its roots, setting the invasion in London and the South of England during the Edwardian era. The cast includes Poldark's Eleanor Tomlinson, Rafe Spall, and Robert Carlyle, and the trailer gives us a glimpse at all three, as well as the artillerymen who battle against the alien invaders.

The dark story of martian spaceships landing on Earth has been adapted many times: perhaps most notably the 1938 radio play read by Orson Welles, which is said to have caused public panic when it was aired in the form of a live news bulletin. In the late 1970s, Jeff Wayne wrote a musical album that tells the story in eerie, dramatic fashion. It's the 32nd bestselling studio album of all time in the UK, and the music is often used for stage productions and live performances. Steven Spielberg's 2005 film starring Tom Cruise (which took the action to the modern day America) was also a huge hit, but this is the first time in a while that we've seen a UK-based, historical setting.

The new BBC adaptation will hit screens later this Autumn. Ahead of an official release date, get a taste of what's to come by watching the trailer now.