High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! War of the Worlds is a 2005 American science fiction film adaptation of H. G. Wells` novel of the same name, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp. It is one of three film adaptations of War of the Worlds released that year, alongside The Asylum`s version and Pendragon Pictures` version. It stars Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier, a divorced dock worker estranged from his children and living separately from them. As his ex-wife drops their children off for him to look after for a few days, Earth is invaded by aliens (loosely based on H. G. Wells` Martians) driving Tripods and the earth`s armies are defeated, and Ray tries to protect his children and flee to Boston to rejoin his ex-wife.