Tintin Movie

Tintin script-writer Steven Moffat has finished the script and is ready to move on to his next job, writing Dr Who. Moffat is a fantastic writer, his comedy Coupling is one of my all time favourites and about the only sitcom I have ever watched. He has also written some of the best Dr Who episodes ever, including the truly scary Blink, and is to become chief writer for the 2010 series of Dr Who.

Its not clear if Steven Moffat has written just one or all three scripts. The article (see below) says its just the first film but the article also says that Thomas Sangster will definitely star so it might be lazy journalism. If the films are being filmed back-to-back-to-back then I would expect them to have scripts already for the second and third films, or at least rough drafts.

Personally I really hope that Steven Moffat has done all three films. I’m concerned about how sensitively the directors (particularly Spielberg ) will handle the source material. But if Moffat has written all three Tintin movies, then I can be sure at least that the scripts will be in tune with Herge’s orginals.

Source: Moffat replaces Russell T on Doctor Who

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

The Daily Mail (not the most reliable paper in the world) is reporting that 17 year old Thomas Sangster has been cast as Tintin. Sangster is no stranger to the movies, he played the son in Love Actually, he also appeared in Nanny McPhee and is about to start work on James Cameron’s Bright Star.

I’ve not seen Thomas Sangster in any films but this photo shows he has the right look to him. He seems a better prospect than Kirsten Myburgh. However I’m not going to make predictions. This story appeared in the Daily Mail’s Showbiz section so hasn’t been subjected to the already low editorial standards of the news desk. It could easily be Sangster’s agent getting some free publicity by floating a rumour to a gullible journalist. Or it could be an example of a great scoop.

Source: Well, actually … Tom’s on the case as Tintin via Marketsaw

According to Andy Serkis, interviewed in Indie London, Steven Spielberg will begin shooting the first Tintin Movie (almost certainly The Secret of the Unicorn) in September. With Peter Jackson directing the second ( Red Rackhams Treasure ). Serkis also confirmed that he is to play Captain Haddock.

Q. Are you going to be reuniting with Peter Jackson again for Tintin?
Andy Serkis: In fact tomorrow I’m flying out to start on Tintin. Steven Spielberg is directing the first one, and then Peter Jackson is doing the second. The bulk of the shoot starts in September but things got a little bit moved around after the writers’ strike.

Q. Were you at all worried when Peter first got back in touch that having played Gollum and King Kong, he might ask you to play Snowy the dog?
Andy Serkis: [laughs] Absolutely, in fact people assume that I am, which is even more disturbing [he’s playing Captain Haddock].

The Cottage - Andy Serkis interview

Tintin movie director Steven Spielberg has a busy schedule with the latest Indiana Jones film coming out soon, a biopic of Lincoln on the cards and of course, one of the three Tintin films. He is also working on The Trial of the Chicago 7, due to star Sacha Baron Cohen. Problems with scheduling actors and a potential actor’s strike are causing problems for the production. What this means for the Tintin movie is unknown.

Source - Steven Spielberg Delays The Trial of the Chicago 7?

LeTinTinMovie.com is reporting that Kirsten Myburgh has been cast as Tintin but Market Saw 3D is reporting inside information saying Myburgh has not been confirmed. He is just another casting call.

Never heard of Kirsten Myburgh? Its not surprising as, to be brutally honest, he is currently a nobody. His only role on IMDB is in a film called Garden Party where he plays ‘Friend with money’. If he does get the lead part in the Tintin Movie then he will go from nobody to somebody very quickly.

Digging around on Kirsten Myburgh official site I found a photo that might be connected to his potential role as Tintin. The plus-fours and jumper are very Tintin but the hat isn’t. Maybe he couldn’t get his hair into a quiff?

Peter Jackson may drop the idea of directing The Hobbit to concentrate on finishing his current project The Lovely Bones and preparing for Tintin. Meanwhile, Andy Serkis (Gollum in Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy) has been talking to Empire Magazine about the Tintin movie. He recently spent a week on the sound stage for Avatar, James Cameron’s latest blockbuster, along with Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg. Avatar is using Cameron’s Reality Camera System to film in 3-D and is likely to be part of the technology used in the Tintin films.

Its looking likely that Peter Jackson’s Tintin movie will be the first one made. According to the Slashfilm blog Spielberg has got three projects on the go once the new Indiana Jones film is done. They are Tintin, Lincoln and The Trial of the Chicago Seven. It seems that The Trial… will be the first made meaning Spielberg won’t be able to put any time into Tintin under the end of this year.

This make a fair bit of sense. Peter Jackson’s production company is doing the special effects for all three Tintin films and Andy ‘Lord of the Rings’ Serkis has been cast, probably as Captain Haddock. Spielberg has never directed anything that is 100% CGI so with Jackson going first, it he will be able to work out the kinks in the CGI more easily than Spielberg and get the actors used to the process.