Nick Frost, Simon Pegg Join Tintin
Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson Adapting Hergé Cartoon For Film
Jan 6, 2009
The British comedy duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost will voice twin roles in the upcoming motion-capture adaptation of Tintin. Über directors Steven Spielberg (A.I. of the Lost Extraterrestrial Jaws) and Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) are planning a possible trilogy of films based on Hergé's classic comic book character.
According to AICN, Frost and Pegg are confirmed as portraying Thomson and Thompson, twin detectives who assist the titular Belgian reporter and his trusty dog Milou (not Snowy, dammit!) in solving mysteries. Frost and Pegg join motion-capture veteran Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings) who voices another Tintin sidekick, the drunken Captain Haddock.
Thomas Sangster (Love Actually) was initially cast as Tintin, but was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
Paramount and Sony are splitting the cost of financing the first Tintin movie, which apparently has a $135 million budget. Spielberg will direct the first film, while Jackson will helm the second. It's becoming increasingly possible that Spielberg and Jackson will try to co-direct the 3rd film in the series.
Jackson WETA special effects house, which rose to worldwide prominence after the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, will handle the motion capture work for these films.
Tintin Creator Hergé Developed "Ligne Claire" Artistic Style
From 1929 to 1983, Hergé (real name Georges Remi) wrote and illustrated 25 volumes of The Adventures of Tintin, which followed a young Belgian reporter who went on adventures around (and sometimes beyond) the world.
Hergé developed what is widely called the "ligne claire" style of comic book illustration, a deceptively simple artistic style that has become highly influential among both commercial illustrators and "serious" artists.
Both Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein have publicly acknowledged Hergé's influence. They created works based on fragments of Tintin comics, and used techniques influenced by "ligne claire" drawing.
"Hergé has influenced my work in the same way as Walt Disney," Warhol once declared, possibly facetiously. "For me, Hergé was more than a comic strip artist."
Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz Stars in Tintin
Pegg and Frost are best known for starring in two of the funniest British comedies to come out this past decade: 2004's "romantic comedy with zombies" Shawn of the Dead and the 2007 buddy-cop spoof Hot Fuzz. Before that, they starred together in the British television comedy Spaced.
Pegg is also taking on the role of Chief Engineer Scotty in J.J. Abrams silver-screen reboot of Star Trek, and the two are co-writing the movie Paul, scheduled for sometime this year.
The first Tintin movie is scheduled for a 2010 release.
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