TOLDJA! I broke the news last Monday that Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson were dialing for dollars now that Universal had declined to exercise an option to co-finance the family movie Tintin set to begin filming in October with Spielberg directing. (Weirdly, both the Los Angeles Times and Radar waited five days to weigh in, and then ridiculously claimed how this was such a setback for Steven and Peter.)
Back to my own reporting. I'm told Spielberg and Jackson began looking other places for the money, and had just talked to Walden Media. But the pair were still waiting to hear back from Paramount (which hadn't yet passed, contrary to what Radar wrote). Now my sources say parent company Viacom just offered the bigtime directors 100% Tintin financing. So it's Spielberg/Jackson's turn to get back to Paramount with a yea or nay.
So those other media were both out-of-date and dead wrong.
Steven Spielberg/Peter Jackson 'Tintin' Movie Now Looking For More Cash Cash
Would you give Steven Spielberg more money after watching drivel like WAR OF THE WORLDS and especially the latest, incoherent, tepidly paced, scripted, shot, edited and scored INDIANA JONES sequel?
And as much as I enjoyed KING KONG - a stylish, period adventure with moments of brilliance - it was still an overlong, bloated, expensive $200 million misfire.
Offering hundreds of millions to Spielberg and Jackson for a property that is mostly known and loved in Europe (mostly during its heyday in the 1970s - and I am a big fan) does not exactly ring of potential blockbuster status.
Comment by spacesheik — September 19, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
Hey Nikki,
You know, Tintin might be a hit overseas, but I really doubt that most Americans know anything about it. I know I didn’t. When I first hear the name “Tintin” I thought they were going to make a Rin Tin Tin movie! And I have a feeling that’s how most Americans will view it until they see the trailer.
Since it’s not ingrained in American pop culture like Batman, Superman, Johnny Appleseed, Will Rogers, JFK, UFOs etc etc, the ROI on this will have to be made overseas.
They better be careful. This is a film Spielberg’s been longing to make that may not connect at all with American audiences.
Comment by helenofpeel — September 19, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
“Offering hundreds of millions to Spielberg and Jackson for a property that is mostly known and loved in Europe (mostly during its heyday in the 1970s - and I am a big fan) does not exactly ring of potential blockbuster status.”
“They better be careful. This is a film Spielberg’s been longing to make that may not connect at all with American audiences.”
4 Words: Alvin and the Chipmunks ($217m domestic)
Can anyone say Tintin (with SS and PJ) is a worse bet than Alvin and the Chipmunks or a better bet than Superman Returns (with Singer directing)?
To steal a quote from William Goldman: Noboby Knows Anything. No one knows if Tintin would be the next LOTR trilogy or the next “The Women,” which was based on a popular 1939 movie.
As to “drivel like WAR OF THE WORLDS and especially the latest, incoherent, tepidly paced, scripted, shot, edited and scored INDIANA JONES sequel?” I’m sure U or any studio would jump at the prospect of profits similar to what those two movies produced.
The better question is What do the scripts look like?
Comment by Sarcastic Cynic — September 19, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
Those “Toldja” headlines never get old, that’s all I know…
Comment by Tired — September 19, 2008 @ 2:00 pm
Is Spielberg aware of the fact that Geffen just gave him $1.2 billion? Thank you Reliance!
Universal might be more inclined to accomodate his undoubtedly inflated budget if he decides to take on some of the risk. Is that too high concept?
If he wants to see it made so badly, how ’bout chopping up that nice little first-dollar deal and deferring payments like so many others have to do with their passion projects?
Just a thought.
Comment by anyone's money but mine — September 19, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
spacesheik, while I’d be hesitant because most people probably have no clue what Tintin is, every movie you listed made a profit. I certainly wouldn’t turn those guys away based on those movies.
Comment by milo — September 19, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
One other thing - mocap is an expensive and REALLY risky endeavor. For every Polar Express, there are a bunch that didn’t break even like the much hyped flop Beowulf.
Comment by milo — September 19, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
“Can anyone say Tintin (with SS and PJ) is a worse bet than Alvin and the Chipmunks or a better bet than Superman Returns (with Singer directing)?”
Absolutely.
Tintin is an obscure part of Francophone culture from the middle of last century. Alvin and the Chipmunks are a part of American culture that had recognition with kids as late as Gen Xers with their Saturday morning cartoon show, and their Christmas song remains a perennial part of the holidays. I’d be shocked if one in a thousand American kids know who on earth Tintin is.
This is no “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” This is the next “The Rocketeer” or “The Shadow.”
Comment by Sarcastic Pragmatist — September 19, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
I’ll bet anything that Spielberg saw the animated TinTin series back in the 60s.
I remember nothing of the series except the announcer at the beginning saying “Her-zhay’s adven-tures of tin-tin”
[I’m trying to approximate the way it was done]
It was boring then, but SS must have been impressed.
Comment by Unindicted Co-conspirator — September 19, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
“Can anyone say Tintin (with SS and PJ) is a worse bet than Alvin and the Chipmunks” by Sarcastic Cynic
Yes.
Comment by ReelBusy — September 19, 2008 @ 5:47 pm
“The better question is What do the scripts look like?”
A safe bet would be phenomenal. They’re being written by Steven Moffat, the best writer (and future head writer) of the all around very good Doctor Who.
Comment by Michael — September 19, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
Sarcastic Cynic - ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? You put THE WOMEN in the same sentence, mush less the same universe, as LOTR?!?! Really, how connected to that movie must you be? Either that or you were bent on proving Goldman’s quote….because you really know nothing!
Comment by capitalista — September 19, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
Actually, capitalista, I was trying a spectrum: from a financially successful film based on pre-existinf material (LOTR) to financially unsuccessful (The Women, 2008 version)
Sorry if I wasn’t clear
Comment by Sarcastic Cynic — September 19, 2008 @ 7:38 pm
Everyone keeps saying that Tintin is huge here in Europe.
This is true only up to a point. The books are well loved - but not huge.
They are loved mainly by an older generation - they are rather quaint for a young audience - who quite simply don’t read them.
A rather good British stage adaptation with excellent reviews failed utterly miserably on tour and in the West End last year.
Comment by beezz — September 19, 2008 @ 9:42 pm
CORRECTION:
Tintin is still massive in BELGIUM.
So that’s alright then.
Comment by beezz — September 19, 2008 @ 10:14 pm
“Tintin” will be Spielberg’s “Howard the Duck”.
Comment by TDF — September 20, 2008 @ 8:11 am
It’ll easily make 100-200 million dollars here through sheer advertising force of SS and PJ and it will be huge overseas where Tintin (no, it’s not pronounced like Rin Tin Tin) remains an adored icon. One thing is for sure: by the time the film comes out every kid in this country will have learned who Tintin is and they’ll probably own a doll of a little white dog…
That’s not to say the film is going to be good or isn’t a possible bomb — this is the movie “business,” after all — but it’s a pretty safe bet to make its money back and then some.
Comment by tf — September 20, 2008 @ 10:33 am
This could be as big as the Asterisk & Obelisk movie was a year or so ago.
That’s a popular European comic with a long history too.
No one cared.
Comment by ReelBusy — September 20, 2008 @ 1:36 pm
Go f*ck yourself.
WOW was a masterpiece and Indy 4, despite it’s script problems, is still the best directed movie of 2008.
I have a stiffy for this flick.
Comment by Spacenik — September 20, 2008 @ 2:14 pm
The deal will ultimately get done because everyone wants to be in business with SS and PJ. The hope is that SS and PJ will offer the backer of the film some other desirable property. This is a risky venture that no one has the balls to say no to. If it’s so great why doesn’t SS or PJ put their own money up. Mel does it and so did Kevin Costner. SS’s yearly dividend from Universal theme parks would cover it and the money would not even be missed. Truth is, these guys only want to play with other peoples money. That’s what i call “real men” LOL
Comment by nobody knows nothing — September 20, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
They’re being written by Steven Moffat, the best writer (and future head writer) of the all around very good Doctor Who.
Nope — Moffat dropped out when he was offered the post of head writer/executive producer on Doctor Who.
Comment by Craig Ranapia — September 21, 2008 @ 3:53 am
No, Craig, you would be incorrect. Moffat is still writing the first TINTIN movie out of a planned trilogy. He had to give up writing the second film because of accepting the extended DOCTOR WHO role. (Hopefully, his planned SHERLOCK HOLMES remake comes through as well)
I have absolute faith in the script because of him. (Go watch “Blink”, the best episode of DOCTOR WHO in recent years) Even if this bombs like SPEED RACER because of the obscure nature of its subject, it still deserves to be made.
Comment by kilner — September 21, 2008 @ 8:11 am
“Go f*ck yourself.
WOW was a masterpiece and Indy 4, despite it’s script problems, is still the best directed movie of 2008.”
Apparently some disgruntled Amblin-Dreamworks-Lucasfilm employees don’t go out much.
Comment by spacesheik — September 21, 2008 @ 9:27 am
Any one growing up in the 60’s and 70’s Who Read “The Adventures of Tintin and Snowy” in “Childrens Readers Digest” couldn’t wait to see what was coming next each issuse.Not only did I love it growing up but now my 14yr old loves them too. He listens to the tapes everynight at bed time.
Comment by Richard C. Spennicchia — September 21, 2008 @ 4:52 pm
The Asterix film was a big hit and spawned sequels.
It merely wasn’t a big hit in the USA.
If a film does massively in the global marketplace but not in America, does it make a sound?
Tintin will do very very well indeed outside of the USA. And in the UK, with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as The Thompson Twins… well… I’m going.
With my family.
Comment by Rich Johnston — September 22, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
Kilner:
I stand corrected, but my understanding is that Moffat is also unavailable to do any re-writes (which seem to be obligatory in Hollywood) so let’s just hope some hack doesn’t make a mess of it.
And I have seen ‘Blink’ — in fact, I’ve all the new Who on DVD. I don’t think you win three Hugos in three years (off three nominations) if you don’t know your a** from your elbow. Still, I wish the man all the best - because while Doctor Who might be a cult item in the US, Moffat’s first series in 2010 (after next year’s “gap year” of four one off specials) is going be under a surreal amount of media and audience scrutiny.
Comment by Craig Ranapia — September 22, 2008 @ 12:54 pm