War of the Worlds: New Millennium War of the Worlds: New Millennium After the most recent unmanned mission to Mars inexplicably fails, interest in the Red Planet is still high. The whole world watches as a bright spot of light appears daily on the Martian surface. As they continue, theories abound about what is causing it. Telescopes pick up movement in space: something came from Mars and is headed towards Earth. As explained in the Author's Note of the novel, H. G. Wells wrote the original "The War of the Worlds" prior to any modern military conflict (such as World War I or World War II).
The War of the Worlds (radio drama) sound effects chief Ora D. Nichols. Welles discussed his fake newscast idea with producer John Houseman and associate producer Paul Stewart; together, they decided to adapt a work of science fiction. They considered adapting M. P. Shiel's "The Purple Cloud" and Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World" before purchasing the radio rights to "The War of the Worlds". Houseman later wrote that he suspected Welles had never read it. Howard Koch had written the first drafts for the Mercury Theatre broadcasts "Hell on Ice" (October 9), "Seventeen" (October 16), and "Around the World in 80 Days" (October 23). Monday, October