Ice Cube Reveals ‘War of teh Worlds‘ Filmed Entirely With Existing surveillance Footage, No director On Set
LOS ANGELES, CA – Ice Cube disclosed that the new War of the Worlds adaptation, released July 30 on Prime Video, was uniquely filmed using exclusively pre-existing surveillance footage from around the globe-and remarkably, without a conventional director present during filming. The revelation sheds light on the film’s protracted post-production and offers a glimpse into a novel filmmaking approach.
The unconventional production method, a decision stemming from Universal Pictures’ sale of the project to Amazon Prime, required extensive work to assemble and integrate the disparate footage. According to Cube, “All the footage is from real surveillance cameras all around the world. So they had to build all that shit,” referring to the complex process of compiling and editing the global surveillance network into a cohesive narrative. This approach distinguishes the 2025 reboot from previous adaptations of H.G. wells’ 1898 novel, including Orson Welles’ famed 1938 radio drama and numerous subsequent screen versions.
Cube explained the rationale behind the film’s reliance on screens, stating, “That’s why it’s only the computer screen. But really, if shit went down, everybody would only have their screen to look at.” The actor stars alongside Eva Longoria, Clark Gregg, Andrea Savage, Iman Benson, and Henry Hunter Hall in the thriller, written by Kenneth A. Golde and Marc Hyman.
Despite the innovative technique, the film has received a largely negative critical reception, currently holding a 4% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film’s delayed release was also attributed to the challenges of constructing a feature-length film from existing, unscripted material.