Edge of Tomorrow is a 2014 American science fiction action film directed by Doug Liman and written by Christopher McQuarrie and the writing team of Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, loosely based on the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, the film takes place in a future where most of Europe is occupied by an alien race. Major William Cage (Cruise), a public relations officer with limited combat experience, is forced by his superiors to join a landing operation against the aliens, only to find himself experiencing a time loop as he tries to find a way to defeat the invaders. Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson also cast as supporting roles. In late 2009, 3 Arts Entertainment purchased the rights to All You Need Is Kill and sold a spec script to the American studio Warner Bros. The studio produced Edge of Tomorrow with the involvement of 3 Arts, the novel's publisher Viz Media, and Australian production company Village Roadshow. Filming began in late 2012, taking place in England: at WB Studios in Leavesden, outside London, and other locations, such as London's Trafalgar Square and the coastal Saunton Sands. A total of nine companies handled the visual effects. Warner Bros. spent over $100 million advertising Edge of Tomorrow. It was released in cinemas on the weekend of May 30, 2014, in 28 territories, and 36 additional territories a week later. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the plot, direction, action sequences, and performances. It grossed over $370.5 million worldwide in its theatrical run.