TinTin Tagged Articles at Cinematical

After a preview screening of District 9 -- by the way, make plans to go see that, right now. Seriously, stop what you're doing and clear your calendar on August 14 when the film opens -- we spent a couple of hours sitting down with Peter Jackson to talk about District 9, Halo The Hobbit, The Lovely Bones, and pretty much everything else he's working on. Plus, you won't believe what he does in his spare time. Suffice it to say, he's not cruising a luxury yacht around the world and eating caviar all day.

Read on beyond the jump for the full writeup of the event (which we were sadly not allowed to videotape), and to get all the goods. He also showed us four and a half minutes of footage from The Lovely Bones, which looks incredible. The trailer for that will be on iTunes on August 6th, and then will be playing in theaters in front of Julie & Julia. Jump through for all things Peter Jackson, including an update on all of his projects, and a rundown of his hobbies.

On Friday night at 7pm, after most fanboys had already fulfilled their quotient of nerdgasms and geek-freakouts, Peter Jackson and James Cameron appeared together at a panel hosted by Entertainment Weekly entitled "The Visionaries." Rather than just talking about their current projects, however, the two iconic filmmakers offered a sort of State of the Cinematic Union, addressing problems and challenges they face, even as they addressed a few rumors about what their respective futures hold.

The most important of their observations and revelations:

Steven Spielberg's The Adventues of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn started filming with so little fanfare that I've nearly forgotten all about it ... but I doubt you diehard Herge fans have. Now you'll have a date to circle on the calender as Variety reports that Tintin will be hitting theaters on December 23, 2011, pitting it against Warner Bros Happy Feet 2 and Disney / PIXAR's The Bear and the Bow. (It may be two years away, but you can offer your box office predictions now if you like!)

At least, that's when it'll be hitting theaters on this side of the pond. Paramount and Sony plan to release the film in Europe first, as befitting its heritage and fanbase. There's no specific dates set, but they're eying a fall dates of late October and early November depending on what part of Europe you're in. If you're very wealthy, you could hop on a plane and catch it a few weeks early.

Variety also reports that the film will be released in 3-D. I guess that's a sign I've lost track of this project as I wasn't aware that was ever in doubt, but apparently the two studios have been debating that the past few months. Now after viewing dailies, they've decided that 3-D "would offer the best rendition" for the film ... and frankly the recent ginormous 3-D successes like Monsters Vs. Aliens probably helped convince them of that.

So, there you are, Tintin fans: December 23, 2011 in 3-D. Excited?

The cast has finally been completed for Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, and once again, I'm really, really wishing this was live-action, rather than 3-D motion-capture.

Variety reports that straight off some Russian Defiance, Jamie Bell has signed on to play the titular role, while co-star Daniel Craig has grabbed the role of Red Rackham. If you remember from earlier reports, this installment will not only focus on 1943's The Secret of the Unicorn, but also 1944's Red Rackham's Treasure. This should fit together quite nicely since one flowed into the other with Tintin's adventures with Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) ultimately leading to the search for Rackham's treasure.

Now Bell might be a smidge old to play a young, thrill-seeking kid, but I bet he'll do wonderfully (even better if this darned picture was live-action!); the actor has done everything from a dancing tyke full of wonder to a pacifist gun-toter to a doomed US Marine. The kid's got range. And Craig -- I'm sure he'll have no problem embracing his inner pirate.

What say you?

When you've had trouble getting financing, had to move to a new company, and lost your lead actor, things don't bode well. So, how do you increase confidence in a film about Tintin? You grab Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, naturally. Ohhhh yes, folks!

Variety has confirmed that Pegg and Frost have been cast as Thomson and Thompson -- the mustachioed and bumbling detectives. While they might not be completely identical like the almost-matching men from the comic, I would love to see Simon and Nick dressed up as the pair. This whole deal might be performance capture, but maybe, just maybe, some promo material could be live action? Or maybe a brief live-action short to accompany the film? Please? (If you haven't already guessed, I'm a rabid fan of Hot Fuzz.)

Production is supposed to start in a month, but we're still without our star -- the one who will have to fill Thomas Sangster's shoes. With Pegg and Frost attached, along with Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock, who could hold their own? Freddie Highmore?

So during my trip to London this past week, we visited Pinewood Studios. I'll tell you all about that amazing adventure through movie history at a later date, but while walking through "The Mansion" to have lunch, I spotted several framed photos featuring images from films that have shot at Pinewood with little fun facts about each. Of course there were Bond films and Aliens and Eyes Wide Shut ... and Superman (1978). Regarding the latter, the fun fact talked about how Steven Spielberg was originally up for the director's chair on Superman. The producer's fought over Spielberg, because one wanted him to direct Supes and the other wanted to wait to see how "his fish movie" turned out. Of course, Jaws would go on to become one of the great films of our time, and when the producers finally came to their senses and offered Spielberg Superman, he was already attached to Close Encounters of the Third Kind and couldn't do it. Enter: Richard Donner.

But what would a Superman film directed by Steven Spielberg have looked like? Could you imagine? Word is Tintin is now in trouble, with the possibility that Spielberg could be left without a new project to direct (save for Lincoln, if he should decide to finally delve into that one). In my opinion, Spielberg -- with his wholesome, Americana persona and expert eye for mass appeal action/adventure -- would be the perfect person to step in and helm a new, updated Superman. And while all these other franchises go dark, Spielberg could bring some much-needed light to the Man of Steel. (Plus I wouldn't mind seeing what a Spielberg-directed superhero flick would look like.)

What do you think? Could Steven Spielberg save Superman? And would you want him to?

It looks like another quiet week in the land of the geek -- particularly since all my friends are off at Fantastic Fest. If you're one of the lucky people attending, eat a Wild at Artichoke Hearts pizza for me at the Alamo Drafthouse. I lie awake at night thinking about it, and wishing for the skill to replicate it.

• The biggest news of the weekend was a story that hit Variety late Friday night: Stephen Chow has landed the role of Kato in The Green Hornet and the director's chair. Rumors and Seth Rogen's wishes have attached him for some time, but now it's official, and definitely shows that the project is going to be heavy on the comedy. (Incidentally, I never realized before now what huge Green Hornet fans my geek parents were -- let's just say Rogen's ears must be burning.) The movie is scheduled to be released June 25th, 2010.
  

• Tintin has run into some major financial problems. According to the LA Times, Universal has passed on the film, leaving Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson to scramble for a new studio to financially back them. It's as embarrassing as you can imagine -- not only because its two of the biggest names in the business, but because Spielberg may have to make nice with Paramount (who's financing half the film) just as he and David Geffen are trying to extricate themselves from it. It also leaves Spielberg without a project to direct, as Tintin was supposed to be next in line, and it delays the whole thing even longer. But hey, at least struggling directors the world over can now do something they never thought possible -- feel just like Spielberg!
  

A few days ago it was confirmed that Steven Spielberg was putting The Trial of The Chicago 7 on the back burner to work on Tintin full-time. But despite earlier reports that Paul Greengrass had been chosen to take over, it looks like Chicago 7 is still without a director. According to CHUD, they contacted Greengrass and he confirmed that while he thinks it's a 'wonderful project,' and he had considered it; the timing just wasn't right -- and something tells me that a certain spy flick might have taken priority.

The trial of the so-called 'Chicago 7' (eight, if you want to be a stickler for details) was one of the defining moments of the 60's counterculture movement. During the '68 Democratic convention eight people (including the infamous Abbie Hoffman and Black Panther, Bobby Seale) were arrested for inciting a riot and conspiracy. The trial was recently made famous in the documentary, Chicago 10, and according to earlier reports, Sorkin's script is loosely based on Brett Morgen's animated doc.

Erik brought us some casting news earlier in the year, but it seems like nothing is written in stone when it comes to this movie. Spielberg has packed his slate for the coming year, but if I had to choose from his upcoming projects, I would have loved to see him tackle this story (not to mention getting his hands on an Aaron Sorkin script).

Sound off below on who you would like to see take the reigns for The Chicago 7, that is if it ever gets made...