Upcoming Tintin (Hergé) movie Trilogy -- Spielberg & Jackson

[Julian Delphiki]

I had not heard this before

Andy Serkis set for 'Tin Tin'
'King Kong' actor reuniting with Jackson

Peter Jackson is set to reteam with his performance-capture muse Andy Serkis for DreamWorks' trilogy "Tintin," which is based on Georges Remi's Belgian comic-strip.

Steven Spielberg and Jackson will each helm at least one of the three films, though DreamWorks declined comment on the specific lineup.

Serkis, who has collaborated with Jackson on several films by providing the human expression and movements behind such CG characters as Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the big ape in "King Kong," has signed on to star in the films. DreamWorks was mum on which character or characters the actor will play but said it will not be the titular Tintin.

Pics will chronicle the adventures of Tintin, a junior reporter who will follow stories even though he often finds his own life in jeopardy.

Principal photography on the first film is scheduled to begin in September.

Films will be based on three stories from "The Adventures of Tintin" series by Remi, who wrote under the pen name of Herge, and will be produced in full digital 3-D using performance capture technology. Jackson's New Zealand-based WETA Digital will provide the f/x work, which will commence before the September start date.

Spielberg and Jackson are producing "Tintin" alongside Kathleen Kennedy.

Serkis was nominated for a Golden Globe last week for his supporting role in the TV series "Longford."

Some articles said that Serkin is probably gonna play #%%"¤#"¤"# Captain Haddock.

I need to borrow some Tintin albums from library next time i visit there, it's been a while since i read them. This could actually turn out be good trilogy, hopefully they can get Michael Bay to direct the third one .

 

[Evie]

As I recall, the original report had the notion that the movies would be made out of The Blue Lotus and Tintin in Tibet.

(If this were full live action, Serkis would obviously be the Yeti. As it is, the rumor has it he gets to play Haddock, which should be fun)

(Also, wow. Spielberg AND Jackson.)

 

[bhsup]

Hrm. I thought this was going to be about Rin Tin Tin.

Here is a Wiki link for those, like myself, unfamiliar with TinTin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Tintin

 

[dutchfire]

I hope they're going to do Tintin in Africa too

 

[Julian Delphiki]

Tintin in the Congo ?

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I loved Tintin when I was little! This movie is going to be great.

 

[Jawz II]

I was a big fan as a little kid. I think I read every single book, I dunno, 50 times? something like that.

Captain Haddock is the man.

 

[RedRalph]

I reckon Topher Grace would be a good tintin

 

[Masquerouge]

Best to be made into movies are the "le secret de la Licorne" and "le tresor de rackham le rouge", IMHO.

"L'affaire Tournesol" is neat too.

 

[RedRalph]

"L'affaire Tournesol" is neat too.

Probably the best book, but all the generally released ones are brilliant

 

[DragonHawk]

They should do "Black Gold" and the 2 space adventures... I would like to see Thompson and Thomson's hair in 3D

They will probably do the ones where TinTin first met Captain $%%^#@%$ Haddock (the one with underwater treasure, I think. I can't remember the title)

Honestly, I would love to see the whole Pharaoh's Cigar saga in movie. IIRC, the first few volumes were connected and should be read in order to get the full effect. One of the volume in the saga was where he was in China.

 

[Masquerouge]

They should do "Black Gold" and the 2 space adventures... I would like to see Thompson and Thomson's hair in 3D

Problems:
- black gold is not exactly the most PC Tintin ever out there. Reread it. Black slaves, evil Western oil companies, puppet Mideastern states... not the right time for it, I think
- the two space adventures, while excellent, are now completely outdated. I mean, people going to the Moon is no longer thrilling

They will probably do the ones where TinTin first met Captain $%%^#@%$ Haddock (the one with underwater treasure, I think. I can't remember the title)

That's not the one with the underwater treasure, it's "Le crabe aux pinces d'or", the Crab with the golden claws in English. Again, a good one (not the best, but one of the earliest good ones, the first one of which is "Le Lotus Bleu", the Blue Lotus). Problem is, in this first album, Haddock is an alcoholic wreck. Interesting for the plot, but would it pass the PC censors?

Honestly, I would love to see the whole Pharaoh's Cigar saga in movie. IIRC, the first few volumes were connected and should be read in order to get the full effect. One of the volume in the saga was where he was in China.

Yes, Cigars of the Pharaoh and the Blue Lotus are loosely connected. But these are the earlier albums in which Herge was learning how to master his art, and I think they would need serious improvements to make great movies.

 

[Evie]

There really isn't one that wouldn't need serious improvements.

I mean, Moon is outdated, Cigars was before Hergé began de-racistizing himself (he started getting there with Lotus), Treasure would translate pretty poorly too (old-school diving equipment, the shark sub)...plus the lack of anything remotely like a villain in the second half doesn't help.

That's about all the tintins "duologies". Of the lot, I think Cigars/Lotus is easiest to adapt, plus you can take Tibet and add it in as the third part of the trilogy.

 

[Narz]

I reckon Topher Grace would be a good tintin

Nah, he's not blond enough.

This is cool news, I read almost all the Tintin books as a kid ('cept the ones not available in the US).

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I only first heard of these books a few months ago. Apparently they are considered classics - how something that wasn't written by an American, an English, or a French author can be "classic" is beyond me . . .

 

[Evie]

He was a French-speaking Belgian, and the books were first published in French :-D

 

[Masquerouge]

I only first heard of these books a few months ago. Apparently they are considered classics - how something that wasn't written by an American, an English, or a French author can be "classic" is beyond me . . .

One day, I will understand why European comics/graphic novels have not been successful in the US.
Probably the same day I'll find the GUT of Gun Control that reconciles both the European and American theories

 

[DragonHawk]

That's about all the tintins "duologies". Of the lot, I think Cigars/Lotus is easiest to adapt, plus you can take Tibet and add it in as the third part of the trilogy.

Oda, you missed the one where the Prof was kidnapped. To rescue him, Tintin and Haddock went to native american place (with the sacraficial altar IIRC) in the second book.

@Masquerouge & Oda Nobunaga:
IIRC, the setting for Blue Lotus was pre WW2. I do not see how the stroy would work otherwise. So if they decide to do this, they need to keep the settings, which would make adaptation easier I think..

Anyway, I just hope they don't do the one with blue Zaphire (sp?), where the singer lost her jewelry. I think that was one of the most dozing Tintin adventure ever.

 

[Evie]

Ah, right, I missed that one. Possible to do, but I don't see Jackson and Spielberg doing it, as the climax of the story rests upon a pretty gross misrepresentation of the Inca (who would, thank you very much, have known exactly that a Solar Eclipse was)

And yes, Blue Lotus would have to be pre-WW2 (unless you want to set it with the Americans as vilains, then you could probably move the story around to oh, say. Iraq II, or Afghanistan...but I don't see them getting into that). But historical movies works; its the ones with outdated pseudo-technology that wouldn't.

 

[Enkidu Warrior]

Doesn't seem like a very Jackson-esque project. I can see it working as long as they include bucketloads of irony. As in not merely avoid the outdated and potentially offensive themes, but actually revel in them to a point where they become absurd and inoffensive. I fear I'm hoping for too much.