Will ‘Tintin’ Get Only Two Films?

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Paramount Pictures are in talks to co-finance the digital 3-D “Tintin,” the Steven Spielberg/Peter Jackson series based on the Belgian “Tintin” comics.
After resolving the Paramount-DreamWorks divorce, putting together a studio deal for “Tintin” was next on Spielberg’s agenda. After Universal balked at partnering on the first installment, which Spielberg will direct, Paramount offered to fully back the first movie with a reduced backend at $135 million for the two gross participants. When the filmmakers held out for a better deal, a partner became a viable alternative. While neither Sony nor Paramount would comment, both confirmed talks were under way.

Spielberg had hoped to be in production by this fall. However, when financing fell apart at Universal on the eve of DreamWorks/Paramount divorce, he lost the participation of his lead actor Thomas Sangster. Nonetheless, “Tintin” is expected to be complete in time for a 2010 release. Jackson will direct the sequel.

In the deal currently being negotiated, Paramount is planning to distribute in North America and some other English-speaking territories, while Sony would handle the foreign release. However, “Tintin” would no longer have any association with DreamWorks.

Spielberg and Jackson were originally teaming to direct and produce three back-to-back features based on Georges Remi’s beloved comic-strip hero “Tintin.” Spielberg and Jackson selected three stories from Remi’s “The Adventures of Tintin” series, which encompassed 23 books published between 1929 and 1976 about an intrepid junior reporter and his dog Snowy who track down stories to the ends of the earth.

The director of the third film in the planned trilogy was always up in the air and a script was never written. Kathleen Kennedy joins Spielberg and Jackson as a producer on the three films, but the deal under discussion appears to be for two.

- from Variety