War of the Worlds: The Shooting Script

The only official tie-in book to the global box-office hit directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise features the complete screenplay and a color photo section.

A contemporary retelling of H. G. Wells's seminal classic, this sci-fi adventure thriller reveals the extraordinary battle for the future of humankind through the eyes of one American family fighting to survive it.

Tom Cruise stars as Ray Ferrier, a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife (Miranda Otto) and her new husband drop off his teenage son Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and young daughter Rachel (Dakota Fanning) for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down.

Moments later, at an intersection near his house, Ray witnesses an extraordinary event that will change all their lives forever. A towering three-legged war machine emerges from deep beneath the earth and, before anyone can react, incinerates everything in sight. An ordinary day has suddenly become the most extraordinary event of their lifetimes - the first strike in a catastrophic alien attack on Earth.

This official companion book includes the film's screenplay, a color photo section highlighting the acclaimed visual effects created by Spielberg and his team, and a Q&A with screenwriter David Koepp on adapting the classic book.