New Alita: Battle Angel trailer unveiled by James Cameron

Cameron and Robert Rodriguez answered questions about the movie online.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor

Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.

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Richard Trenholm

July 23, 2018 4:52 a.m. PT

James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez have dropped a new trailer for their cyberpunk thriller Alita: Battle Angel today.

The trailer was unveiled as part of a Q&A session broadcast live online with Cameron and Rodriguez, producer Jon Landau and star Rosa Salazar. The filmmakers had also attended geek-fest Comic Con, which took place in San Diego over the past week.

Based on the manga series by Yukito Kishiro, the effects-heavy movie tells the story of Alita, a wide-eyed amnesiac cyborg on the run in a dystopian future city. Here's the new trailer:

During the Q&A Cameron revealed he nearly did Alita: Battle Angel before Avatar after Guillermo Del Toro introduced him to the source material. Instead, Cameron wrote the movie and left Rodriguez in charge on the set.

Here's an earlier first trailer, released last year and prompting lots of chat about the CG-enhanced anime eyes:

Alita is due to be released in December 2018. While you're waiting, check out our rundown of the many trailers and teasers coming out of San Diego Comic Con 2018.

Comic-Con 2018: We're headed to America's epic entertainment geekfest, and bringing you all the latest.