73 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

I'll throw out some speculation that Craig will be playing both the 'old' Red Rackham and his descendant, who is a rival/old foe of Captain Haddock.

Good point. It's been decades since I've read the book, so I'd forgotten about that.

[AgentBentley]

I grew up reading Tintin, so I'm extremely worried about what they'll do with it. Both storywise, characterwise, and this whole motion capture thing. Wonder whether that'll be watchable.
I'm happy with Daniel joining the cast, but I don't remember any likeness between him and Rackham. Maybe they're just taking on whomever they can.

[Zorin Industries]

Surprised at Jamie Bell- seems a bit old for this now.

Well, I think Sangster was actually too young. I know that Tintin is commonly referred to as "the boy reporter", but I'm not sure that there's anything in the books that says he's anything other than an adult (albeit a young one). After all, he has a job (which apparently comes with the most generous expense account known to man) and his own gaff, and is a demon driver and so on, so it's not as though he's Harry Potter.

A curious thing about the Tintin books is that virtually no one seems to be married or to have a girlfriend (or boyfriend).

The Tintin purist in me does bristle at the film's title, though. It should be THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN.

Thomas Sangster is older than you think. He's 19/20 I believe.

Does anyone else wish this wasn't a motion capture CGI effort though? BEOWULF was a surprisingly good film, but the technical gimmicks still detract from the film itself (in my mind anyway).

[RivenWinner]

I just realized that I completely overlooked one very important fact that I haven't read about yet: will this Tintin film be a period piece, or is it set in the modern day?

I will be extremely disappointed if they set it in today's world.

[DR76]

For an indie-loving actor, Craig can't get enough of those big franchises, can he?

Don't forget that one of the reasons why Craig had signed up for LARA CROFT was because he was a fan of the video game. He probably likes pop culture more than he is willing to admit.

[Germanlady]

Can anybody explain to me, please, why it is released only in 2011? Are they doing all three films before that or why?

[Born_again_Bond]

I'm a little confused as to how Red Rackham merits such a big star as Craig (which he now surely is)? It's a tiny almost insignificant role in the story...

Maybe it is just a little role he can fit in while waiting for Bond 23 to start production? My impression was that was why he did Golden Compass. It was essentially a cameo, it fitted nicely between CR and Defiance and also kept him the public eye with a head-lining project. Spielberg always commands attention, so DC will get some of that, even if Rackham is only a cameo role.

What has me rubbing my noggin is I don't get how this fits into what DC says himself is his preferred fare of challenging storylines.

Imho, he's been departing from that way too often of late e.g. Invasion, Golden Compass, even perhaps Archangel, (as much as I like that one), and he also hiccupped a few years back with Tomb Raider. Maybe I just love him too much in his weird niche roles to really appreciate stuff like this.

The Bond franchise is so major that it may not be considered niche cinema, but DC has made it his niche, almost his property, so I guess that is different!!

I think DC just likes to mix it up a bit, his name being attached to this may also have swayed the powers that be to invest in getting this made, also Daniel has a history of helping out a friend, The Jacket, Golden Compass, FOAF etc, one of the endearing things about him is he doesn't seem to forget the people who have helped to put him where he is today.

I agree with that. In interviews he speaks warmly of Steven Spielburg and his experience on Munich and while Spielberg is so big he does not need anyone's help, it cannot have done any harm to have DC along on the film.

Does anyone else wish this wasn't a motion capture CGI effort though? BEOWULF was a surprisingly good film, but the technical gimmicks still detract from the film itself (in my mind anyway).

Me!!! I am disappointed it will be motion capture and not live. I loved Beowulf but it left me with the feeling that I would have loved it all the more had it been live actors and not CGI.

I'm keeping fingers crossed and trusting in the Spielberg magic that DC has not tripped up on this odd choice for his next project.

What does please me though is that in these uncertain economic times, he is still working and keeping himself in the public eye before Bond 23.

As a pre-Bond admirer of DC's I would hate for him to have become so typecast that he could not get anything else and have to wait for the next Bond before he could work again.

[pgram]

The only question remains: If they have Spielberg, Jackson and Craig... why not make a real film with good old-fashioned live-action?

If you want answers to that question, visit tintinologist.org, where this debate has been going on for some time now. You might even find posts by a guy called pgram there...

An answer that springs to mind immediately is the 'ligne claire' style of Herge, which can be emulated better in a cartoon, 3D or otherwise, than any live-action technique. I 've always supported this option. Not that it couldn't have been done in any other way, of course.

I couldn't be more excited than that. Tintin is the ultimate comic book character, the most influential comic ever (definitely in Europe and maybe even worldwide) and he was long overdue a good, big-production film. I hope Spielberg and co don't screw this up (like Indy...). Tintin deserves to be reintroduced to the children (and adults) all over the world.

And the involvement of Craig in it makes it almost surreal for me. Posters here might remember that I 've been advocating the extremely close relationship between Bond and Tintin for years now. Tintin is James Bond jr. Has always been. Will always be. I will have to write a book on the subject some day... Wasn't it Red Rackham's treasure that Mr Big was using in LALD?

I wonder if Red Rackham's role will be upgraded... In the book he has a brief role, in a flashback. And judging from Moulinsart's strict approach to faithfulness to Herge, I don't think it will. I don't actually see how it would.

[Mr_Wint]

The only question remains: If they have Spielberg, Jackson and Craig... why not make a real film with good old-fashioned live-action?

If you want answers to that question, visit tintinologist.org, where this debate has been going on for some time now. You might even find posts by a guy called pgram there...

An answer that springs to mind immediately is the 'ligne claire' style of Herge, which can be emulated better in a cartoon, 3D or otherwise, than any live-action technique. I 've always supported this option. Not that it couldn't have been done in any other way, of course.

It is the transformation from one medium to another that is part of the fun.

I have nothing against animated 3D films. I just wish that people like Spielberg wouldn't waste their time with it.

[Zorin Industries]

The only question remains: If they have Spielberg, Jackson and Craig... why not make a real film with good old-fashioned live-action?

If you want answers to that question, visit tintinologist.org, where this debate has been going on for some time now. You might even find posts by a guy called pgram there...

An answer that springs to mind immediately is the 'ligne claire' style of Herge, which can be emulated better in a cartoon, 3D or otherwise, than any live-action technique. I 've always supported this option. Not that it couldn't have been done in any other way, of course.

It is the transformation from one medium to another that is part of the fun.

I have nothing against animated 3D films. I just wish that people like Spielberg wouldn't waste their time with it.

I had to watch MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D the other day. Story-wise (well, back story-wise) it's not that bad, but the 3Dness of it was completely unecessary and kept the audience at a certain distance from the main proceedings.

I get the point about the colours and look of TINTIN on paper, but THE GOLDEN COMPASS managed to render its visuals with a storybook glow that worked.

[MrMoneypenny]

The only question remains: If they have Spielberg, Jackson and Craig... why not make a real film with good old-fashioned live-action?

I wonder if Red Rackham's role will be upgraded... In the book he has a brief role, in a flashback. And judging from Moulinsart's strict approach to faithfulness to Herge, I don't think it will. I don't actually see how it would.

Cool to find a fellow Tintin fantatic! As for your question on Red Reackham's role being upgraded. Yes, the part was made bigger. In fact, the script already changed a bit from the original book, because they got rid of the Bird brothers and their butler (and future butler of Captain Haddock) Nestor. Instead, they are introducing a rival journalist, an editor and an American interpol agent. While Moulinsart is very, VERY strict in their approach to faithfulness to the original work, they're probably reminded by Herge's words when he said that when it comes to Spielberg, the man should not be told how to do his work and that he therefor had creative freedom with Tintin. It's when Herge found out that there were rumor that Spielberg was not going to direct the first Tintin film that he backed out of the first project. Spielberg panicked and scheduled a meeting with Herge in Brussels. A week before the two men were supposed to meet, Herge passed away and the project was put on hold ... for 26 years!

[marktmurphy]

I just realized that I completely overlooked one very important fact that I haven't read about yet: will this Tintin film be a period piece, or is it set in the modern day?

I will be extremely disappointed if they set it in today's world.

I can't imagine that it would be a modern day one if they're going to all thr trouble of CGi-ing it to look like the original art.

[B007nd]

The only question remains: If they have Spielberg, Jackson and Craig... why not make a real film with good old-fashioned live-action?

I wonder if Red Rackham's role will be upgraded... In the book he has a brief role, in a flashback. And judging from Moulinsart's strict approach to faithfulness to Herge, I don't think it will. I don't actually see how it would.

Cool to find a fellow Tintin fantatic! As for your question on Red Reackham's role being upgraded. Yes, the part was made bigger. In fact, the script already changed a bit from the original book, because they got rid of the Bird brothers and their butler (and future butler of Captain Haddock) Nestor. Instead, they are introducing a rival journalist, an editor and an American interpol agent. While Moulinsart is very, VERY strict in their approach to faithfulness to the original work, they're probably reminded by Herge's words when he said that when it comes to Spielberg, the man should not be told how to do his work and that he therefor had creative freedom with Tintin. It's when Herge found out that there were rumor that Spielberg was not going to direct the first Tintin film that he backed out of the first project. Spielberg panicked and scheduled a meeting with Herge in Brussels. A week before the two men were supposed to meet, Herge passed away and the project was put on hold ... for 26 years!

Another Big Tintin fan here!
I wonder what your source might be about the alterations in the script, Mr. Moneypenny. These are very old (and strange) rumours, even from before Moffat was taken in, I believe..?
To set some things straight:
*) The Bird brothers are the main villains in this story. Maybe Crook could be playing one of them? Nestor, the butler could be played by Gad Elmaleh perhaps..? Or the other way around.
*) First rumours were about filming the double stories. If Toby Jones is to play prof. Calculus - which is an obvious choice in my opnion too, but some others have put their bets on Gad Elmaleh - then this one will indeed be including the "Red Rackhmam's Treasure" story, as that is the very first book in which Calculus pops up.
*) And as stated before by others, Red Rackham only appeared in a flash back (set in 1798 I believe) in The Secret Of The Unicorn, as the opponent of Haddock's ancestor. He doesn't even come back in the book that bears his own name in the title. And no present day ofspring from Red Rackham appear in the books either. Only some people who try to convince Tintin into that, so they can claim their share of the treasure.

I hope Spielberg and Jackson stay more true to the originals than is suggested above... I can't wait!

Edited by B007nd, 27 January 2009 - 11:04 PM.

[MrMoneypenny]

The only question remains: If they have Spielberg, Jackson and Craig... why not make a real film with good old-fashioned live-action?

I wonder if Red Rackham's role will be upgraded... In the book he has a brief role, in a flashback. And judging from Moulinsart's strict approach to faithfulness to Herge, I don't think it will. I don't actually see how it would.

Cool to find a fellow Tintin fantatic! As for your question on Red Reackham's role being upgraded. Yes, the part was made bigger. In fact, the script already changed a bit from the original book, because they got rid of the Bird brothers and their butler (and future butler of Captain Haddock) Nestor. Instead, they are introducing a rival journalist, an editor and an American interpol agent. While Moulinsart is very, VERY strict in their approach to faithfulness to the original work, they're probably reminded by Herge's words when he said that when it comes to Spielberg, the man should not be told how to do his work and that he therefor had creative freedom with Tintin. It's when Herge found out that there were rumor that Spielberg was not going to direct the first Tintin film that he backed out of the first project. Spielberg panicked and scheduled a meeting with Herge in Brussels. A week before the two men were supposed to meet, Herge passed away and the project was put on hold ... for 26 years!

Another Big Tintin fan here!
I wonder what your source might be about the alterations in the script, Mr. Moneypenny. These are very old (and strange) rumours, even from before Moffat was taken in, I believe..?
To set some things straight:
*) The Bird brothers are the main villains in this story. Maybe Crook could be playing one of them? Nestor, the butler could be played by Gad Elmaleh perhaps..? Or the other way around.
*) First rumours were about filming the double stories. If Toby Jones is to play prof. Calculus - which is an obvious choice in my opnion too, but some others have put their bets on Gad Elmaleh - then this one will indeed be including the "Red Rackhmam's Treasure" story, as that is the very first book in which Calculus pops up.
*) And as stated before by others, Red Rackham only appeared in a flash back (set in 1798 I believe) in The Secret Of The Unicorn, as the opponent of Haddock's ancestor. He doesn't even come back in the book that bears his own name in the title. And no present day ofspring from Red Rackham appear in the books either. Only some people who try to convince Tintin into that, so they can claim their share of the treasure.

I hope Spielberg and Jackson stay more true to the originals than is suggested above... I can't wait!

I'm afraid my source is pretty accurate and not based on rumors at all. A good friend of mine is working on the movie (he's one of the actors) and gave me the scoop this morning. Both the Belgian VRT news and an article this morning in The Hollywood Reporter pretty much confirmed what my friend had told me: the Birds Brothers were being taken out of the story, as well as Nestor. The latter seems strange to me too, especially when Nestor becomes a regular character in all other Tintin adventures.

The rumor about both books (Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure) being shot as one movie still stands. Who will be playing Calculus is still unclear. However, three other big names have been cast, so it could be one of them. I know who those three actors are but promised my friend to keep my mouth shut. Lets just say that when it will be made official, many Bond-fans, including me, will be VERY happy!

As for the Rackham character, like I said before, they expanded the character. According to my source, the script is still very close to the book(s), but they had to do some alterations to make it more cinematic.

[Vauxhall]

Lets just say that when it will be made official, many Bond-fans, including me, will be VERY happy!

Very interesting! Thanks for posting. It's always nice to have some informed, inside detail. I look forward to hearing more about this project when it becomes available.

One question though: do you have any idea whether these three additional actors you have mentioned are likely to have larger roles than Craig, or is he still likely to be the major "name" associated with the project?

[dinovelvet]

The rumor about both books (Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure) being shot as one movie still stands. Who will be playing Calculus is still unclear. However, three other big names have been cast, so it could be one of them. I know who those three actors are but promised my friend to keep my mouth shut. Lets just say that when it will be made official, many Bond-fans, including me, will be VERY happy!

Sounds good!

As for the Rackham character, like I said before, they expanded the character. According to my source, the script is still very close to the book(s), but they had to do some alterations to make it more cinematic.

So is Rackham now the main villain of the story? Is he now a modern character, i.e. will he be in scenes with Tintin and Haddock etc?

That Hollywood reporter article mentions : "Elmaleh is playing Ben Salaad and Jones is playing a character named Silk." So Calculus is still uncast apparently

[MrMoneypenny]

Lets just say that when it will be made official, many Bond-fans, including me, will be VERY happy!

Very interesting! Thanks for posting. It's always nice to have some informed, inside detail. I look forward to hearing more about this project when it becomes available.

One question though: do you have any idea whether these three additional actors you have mentioned are likely to have larger roles than Craig, or is he still likely to be the major "name" associated with the project?

My friend didn't really tell me which characters they would be playing, but I would say that Craig is still the bigger name in the whole project. But one of those three actors was pretty much an A-lister back in the days, and that's the one who's Bond related!
But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense that Craig can't be the main villain. His character, Red Rackham, who appears in a story told by captain Haddock, is a pirate in 1698. Even if they expand that portion of the story, he can't be Tintin's mean villain, considering Tintin isn't around when he is! Unless what was mentioned by some one here before is true: Craig playing a double role, that of the infamous pirate and that of his descendant (although the latter is not in the books, but then again, neither are Tintin's editor, Tintin's rival and the American interpol agent!).

[RivenWinner]

Ok, I'm fine with Tintin's editor, that makes sense. A rival reporter? Ergm...I could do without, and I can certainly do without an American Interpol agent, but whatever. Making a successful adaption of a literary work does not mean that it has to be be filmed literally word for word. A successful film adaption is one that captures the true spirit of the work and of the author's intent.

Thanks for these scoops, they've got me wondering many things, especially the actor that Bond fans will be excited about. I have a few names in mind that I wish were true, but I'll keep them to myself for now. Also, I think Jones would have been perfect for Professor Calculus, and as for Nester, well, perhaps he will be introduced in a later film.

Moneypenny, I just have these questions: do you know if the Tintin film is a period piece, as in, will the film NOT take place in 2010? I would imagine if they wanted to stay true to the story that it would be a period piece. Also, concerning the two Rackham stories being filmed back to back: is Spielberg doing them both at the same time, or handing it over sometime midway through production to Jackson? I know it's always been the intent for Spielberg to do one and Jackson do the second, but I didn't know if it was different if they're shooting back to back.


I hope they'll release the rest of the cast soon; I don't want to have to wait a few months, haha

Edited by RivenWinner, 28 January 2009 - 04:36 PM.

[eddychaput]

Count me in too! I've read all the Tintin adventures when I was a kid and own most of them, even Tintin et L'Aplh-Art (yeah, the unfinished story). I think Speilberg's sense of the 'adventure film' can make this pretty good. I would have prefered that the movie be made in French, but I suppose you can't win them all.

[Harmsway]

Does anyone else wish this wasn't a motion capture CGI effort though? BEOWULF was a surprisingly good film, but the technical gimmicks still detract from the film itself (in my mind anyway).

I think the jury's out on whether it's a good move or not.

If it's just like BEOWULF - a film I enjoyed as a throwaway piece of entertainment - then it won't be a good move. Strictly speaking, there was no real reason to have BEOWULF as CGI other than the arbitrariness of it all (after all, they worked damn hard to make the CGI look as "real" as possible).

But it may be that they're doing something fare different with the aesthetic than the "real-looking digital people" approach of BEOWULF, something that will ultimately be very worthwhile. We know so little at this point, it's hard to really know what Spielberg and Jackson are intending.

[Germanlady]

Haven´t got an answer to that - maybe there is none, but WHY is it released in 2011 when they are shopoting it now?

[MrMoneypenny]

Moneypenny, I just have these questions: do you know if the Tintin film is a period piece, as in, will the film NOT take place in 2010? I would imagine if they wanted to stay true to the story that it would be a period piece. Also, concerning the two Rackham stories being filmed back to back: is Spielberg doing them both at the same time, or handing it over sometime midway through production to Jackson? I know it's always been the intent for Spielberg to do one and Jackson do the second, but I didn't know if it was different if they're shooting back to back.

I hope they'll release the rest of the cast soon; I don't want to have to wait a few months, haha

I'm pretty sure the story will be set in the 1950's, just like the two books. You can't really say that the two Rackham stories are being shot back to back. They've just been combined into one screenplay, which Spielberg is directing. The second movie, which will be directed by Jackson, will also be a combination of two books: The Seven Crystal Balls and The Prisoners of the Sun, which, if I'm being totally honest, is a way more exciting story (very Indiana Jones). That movie will pretty much be shot right after they finish the Spielberg one.

Interesting fact is that none of the actors have to wear costumes and look like the characters. Everyone is wearing those green latex suits and basically, everything will be 'drawn' on them in post production!

[Piz Gloria 1969]

Hmm , last I heard is that Spielberg couldn't get it financed due to the financial crisis ?

[B007nd]

Hmm , last I heard is that Spielberg couldn't get it financed due to the financial crisis ?

That's old news: Spielberg and Jackson have found two major studio's that will distribute the films around the globe. I quote from the official press release on the main page:

Paramount Pictures will release domestically and in all English speaking territories and Asia, excluding India. Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute the film in Continental Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, India and the remainder of the world.

I hope that inspite of all the changes they are going to make (unfortunately I think, but I'll judge that afterwards), they will keep the spirit of the original characters and stories right.
That would i.m.o. have to mean that it should stay in period. Also, I hope that Hergés "Klare Lijn" as it was first called (in Dutch!) - the famous 'Clear Line' or "Ligne Claire" - will be visible on screen. One of my main objects against the use of CGI these days is what they do to the lighting in post-production. There seems to be a trend that every shot has to be in a special hue/color tone, especially dark and blue are popular. As in Hergés point of view, colors always stay the same, exceptions are only made when it really is dark (like at night or in caves).

Edited by B007nd, 29 January 2009 - 09:57 AM.

[RivenWinner]

I'm pretty sure the story will be set in the 1950's, just like the two books. You can't really say that the two Rackham stories are being shot back to back. They've just been combined into one screenplay, which Spielberg is directing. The second movie, which will be directed by Jackson, will also be a combination of two books: The Seven Crystal Balls and The Prisoners of the Sun, which, if I'm being totally honest, is a way more exciting story (very Indiana Jones). That movie will pretty much be shot right after they finish the Spielberg one.

Interesting fact is that none of the actors have to wear costumes and look like the characters. Everyone is wearing those green latex suits and basically, everything will be 'drawn' on them in post production!

Oh, yes, I should have realized they would combine the two Rackham stories into one film. Rumors have frequently stated that the first Tintin film would be based on the Rackham stories, and of course it's been mostly official for sometime now, but I think there are so many other better Tintin stories to use for the films. I like the Rackham stories, but like you said, The Seven Crystal Ball and The Prisoners of the Sun are much better. I always liked Cigars of the Pharaoh and The Blue Lotus, as well as The Crab with the Golden Claws.


As for the mo-cap, I'll hold my judgement until I see some footage, but honestly, I think it is just an unnecessary way to run up the budget on a film. I know they're attempting to capture Herge's art style, but to me it seems like you could just do that in traditional 2D animation. In reality, it doesn't matter who you cast for these sorts of films or what they look like, because in the final film their characters are completely redrawn. Easy example--look at Ray Winstone. An average, somewhat portly man who ended up as the hero and title character of Beowulf, a well built, super muscular man in the film.

[Harmsway]

Haven´t got an answer to that - maybe there is none, but WHY is it released in 2011 when they are shopoting it now?

Because the effects on a mo-cap film take an extremely long time to render properly.

[CaptainCanuck]

I wonder if Red Rackham's role will be upgraded... In the book he has a brief role, in a flashback. And judging from Moulinsart's strict approach to faithfulness to Herge, I don't think it will. I don't actually see how it would.

In the book he does appear in a flashback, but I wouldn't call it "brief". I don't own the album, but from what I can remember Rackham appears on at least three pages, and there's opportunity throughout the album to feature him on more pages. Well, come to think of it that is pretty brief if this is a combination of two volumes. It's more then a cameo, though, as some people have called it.

On a different note, does anyone else find it interesting that Gad Elmaleh, as Ben Salaad, a character who appears two volumes before The Secret of the Unicorn, in The Crab with the Golden Claws? Tintin meets Captain in 'Crab'.

[Born_again_Bond]

I found this interesting; that Sony is financing this. Haven't they pulled away from the Bond franchise? Or have I misread that somewhere!

Give DC's current box office appeal, I wonder how much of their agreement to fund is based on the previous successful combination of Spielberg and DC.

I know DC was not a headliner in Munich, but he ended up with such solid reviews that outstripped the actual size of the role.

http://uk.reuters.co...n...l=0&sp=true

[007karl007]

I cant wait for this i used to love tin tin as a child.

Edited by 007karl007, 03 February 2009 - 09:02 AM.

[B007nd]

Le tournage démarre début février. Aujourd'hui à Angoulême, Peter Jackson et Steven Spielberg ont expliqué les tenants et les aboutissants du méga projet TINTIN qui tiendra en éveil le monde de la BD pendant encore 2 ans au moins. Ils n'étaient pas là physiquement mais s'étaient amusés devant la caméra pour adresser un salut amical à tous les festivaliers et journalistes. L'histoire s'inspirera largement de "Le secret de la licorne" !
Au niveau du casting, on savait que c'était l'acteur Jamie Bell qui incarnera Tintin, on a appris récemment qu'il y aura un certain Gad Elmaleh qui sera très présent, (Chouchou dans la Castafiore ?). Il y aura James Bond, ou plutôt Daniel Craig (en prof Tournesol le James Bond ?). Nick Frost et Andy Serkis sont également au menu des festivités...
Le tournage se fera en motion capture, capteurs positionnés sur les acteurs pour un suivi parfait et une restitution en 3D. Ce principe était le seul aux yeux des producteurs et réalisateurs à pouvoir respecter l'oeuvre graphique du maitre ! Ce sera donc un film expérimental, loin des clichés à l'américaine. Il semble aussi qu'aucune histoire d'amour n'est prévue... et ... "Tintin n'aura ni Blackberry, ni Ipod"...

Speilberg and jackson spoke at one of the largest comics events in france:
The first movie is going to be based on the Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure. It will stay close to the period and the graphic style of the master himself, so Tintin won't have an iPod or Blackberry.