There is still a lot of rumor flying around about whether the Tintin movies will get made. As we reported earlier (Tintin Movie in Financial Quagmire) Dreamworks is splitting from Paramount. As Tintin was a joint Universal and Paramount production it was assumed that Universal would pick up the film. However it seems that Universal are not keen on the $130 million price tag or the 30% gross Spielberg and Jackson are demanding.

With a reported $30 million already spent on scripts and pre-production costs, and two of the biggest names in the business wanting to direct, it seems likely that the films will get made. This may just be a negation technique from Universal to get the directorial duo to cut their fees.

Source: Universal Pictures pulls plug on ‘Tintin’

Simon Pegg, one of Britain’s leading comedy actors, has a big puff piece in the Sunday Times including an anecdote about meeting Spielberg.

…when he gets a call saying Steven Spielberg would like to meet him.

So he trots over to the motion-capture set for the ET director’s latest project – the first in a trilogy of Tintin movies. Motion-capture sets are bizarre, empty places. The event has been shot and is held in a computerised camera, which allows the director to swoop around the scene. As a result, there is only a computer guy and Spielberg sitting there.

“Steven’s smoking a stogy, cap on head, like he’s always been since I was a baby,” Pegg says, shaking his head in wonder. “I shook his hand and chatted about films. He gave me the mo-cap [motion-capture] camera, and I had a play around with it. Then he said, ‘Hey, maybe you and Nick Frost could play the Thompson Twins.’ In Tintin. A Spielberg movie. To work with him is beyond .. . ” He trails off, lost for words.

Source: Simon Pegg: He’s Mr Popular

• There has been some speculation that Spielberg would not direct the first movie after all. Apparently the source of this rumour was Herge Studios but is has been denied by both Spielberg and Jackson. However there is still no confirmation of Sangster as Tintin or any other cast and no sign that filming is about to start. Source: Steven Spielberg Still Directing ‘Tintin’
• The Pink Lotus, a Spanish update of Tintin featuring him as a 30 year-old tabloid journalist having a mid-life crisis has been pulled from the shelves due to its adult content: Bawdy Tintin book withdrawn from shelves and Twisted Tintin: Iconoclasm and the Belgian Boy Wonder
• Tintin fan Barrimore England-Davis has set out on a journey to follow the route taken by Tintin in the book Land of Black Gold: Tintin fan’s epic trip

The Tintin Trilogy is being made by Dreamworks, Spielberg’s production company, which is owned by Viacom via its subsidiary Paramount. However Spielberg is in the process of buying back Dreamworks from Viacom for $1.2 billion USD and there is uncertainty over projects that currently in production. Will those joint Paramount/Dreamwork’s productions be able to continue or will they go on hold until Spielberg and Viacom have decided who owns what?

Source: Viacom Boss Dauman Looking Forward To Losing Dreamworks

It appears that when Moffat Walked Away From Tintin, he in fact didn’t. Not too surprisingly the Daily Mail over egged the story and in reality, the US Writer’s strike stopped him writing the second script.

BBC News: Dr Who writer denies Tintin row and
Moffat promises new Who monsters

To be filed under groundless speculation.

The Daily Record (a Scottish newspaper) believes that Scotland will feature big in the Tintin movies because The Black Island, which is set in Scotland, could be one of the films. There is no evidence that the Black Island is going to be one of the films, but it could be.
New Dr Who chief’s Tintin film in line for Scots setting

In other news:

• Cyclists and Tour-de-France leader Alejandro Valverde is a Tintin fan
• Scientists have discovered ice on the moon, just as Herge predicted
• A series of films at the Indian International Centre about Tibet will include the animated version of Tintin in Tibet.
• Peter Jackson is producing a new version of the classic film, Dambusters, with a script by Steven Fry.

Marketsaw is reporting that all three Tintin films will be shot back to back with Jackson & Spielberg directing the last one together.: Spielberg Reveals He And Jackson Will Probably Co-Direct Third “Tintin”: Shot Back To Back To Back !

Thomas Sangster who has been heavily rumoured to be playing Tintin in the movie still hasn’t been confirmed in that role. In the meantime he will be off to South Africa to film “Master Harold… and the Boys” with Danny Glover. Shooting will start in July and shooting for Tintin is scheduled to start in September.

This might all dovetail nicely for Thomas, allowing him to finish in South Africa and fly straight to New Zealand to start on the Tintin Movie. Or it may mean that Sangster will be unavailable for Tintin. Until Spielberg and Jackson confirm the cast, we can only speculate.

Source: Danny Glover returns to ‘Boys’

Back in March we said that Spielberg would start directing the first Tintin Movie in September. Now it appears that the mainstream press has caught up with us thanks to the great-one’s current media blitz for Indiana Jones.

Only one thing of interest has come out about the Tintin movie, Spielberg claims that it won’t be effected by an actor’s strike because its using motion capture technology. I wonder what union Andy Serkis belongs to then?

Source: Spielberg’s Lincoln Logged

Taking a break from directing the first Tintin movie, Steven Spielberg has purchased another comic for adaption. This time its Ghosts in the Shell, the Japanese manga book and TV series. Its classic manga with robots, a futuristic city scape and great characters. I’m not sure if a non-Japanese director will be able to adapted it without turning into some cookie-cutter action film.

Chances are the film will be made using the same technology as the Tintin Movie and Market Saw is reporting that it will be made in 3D.

Source: There’s A New Epic In Town: Spielberg Buys Rights To Manga “Ghost In The Shell” – Will Be Live Action 3D!!