Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg have just revealed some early images for their upcoming film The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. The film will be based on the popular comics written by Georges Remi, better known by his penname Hergé. As is written on its official website, “Tintin” originated in 1929 and has sold over 200 million copies across the globe. The comics centered on a reporter named Tintin and his canine sidekick Snowy.
Jamie Bell (Jumper) will be stepping into the role of Tintin. Considering that the film is being shot in motion-capture, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Jackson has once again employed the services of Andy Serkis, who has done brilliant motion-capture work in his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and King Kong. In “Tintin” he will play Captain Haddock, a friend of the titular character. Daniel Craig will portray Red Rackham, a pirate that serves as the antagonist.
Nick Frost and Simon Pegg (both of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) will portray Thompson and Thompson, a pair of less-than intelligent detectives. Jackson relayed that people were initially skeptical about Frost and Pegg in those roles. No need to fear, however: Spielberg assured that both actors provide “all the difference we needed to foil for each other.” Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), Cary Elwes (Dracula), Toby Jones (Infamous) and Daniel Mays (Made in Dagenham) also have roles in the film.
As for the movie itself, Spielberg says that “the first part of the film, which is the most mysterious part, certainly owes much to not only film noir but the whole German Brechtian theatre — some of our night scenes and our action scenes are very contrasty. But at the same time the movie is a hell of an adventure.”
Since sequels frequent the cinema nowadays, Empire inquired Jackson as to what comic would serve as the basis for a sequel if one came to fruition. He expressed that The Seven Crystal Balls is a personal favorite and believes that the Balkan ones such as The Calculus Affair and King Ottokar’s Sceptre would make excellent thrillers. Looking even further ahead, he states that the Moon comics would be appropriate for a third or even a fourth film.
Below you can check out the Empire cover that “riffs” on the comic and two brand new images from the actual film that is scheduled for a UK release on October 26, 2011 and a US release the following Dec. 28.
