In what sounds like an incredibly bone-headed move from a business point of view, Universal Pictures has pulled out of the Tintin adaptation. They have declined to exercise an option to co-finance Tintin, which is already set up as a trilogy to be produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson.
Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily brings us the whole story:
The decision was quietly made a few weeks ago. So now DreamWorks will look only to owner Paramount for the rest of the moolah in the same way the two shared financing on Dreamgirls and Transformers. Unfortunately, Paramount is presently without an overall financing deal to mitigate risk, but is arranging it on a film-by-film basis. I say Tintin — to be played by Love Actually’s Thomas Sangster — sounds like an expensive but safe bet, considering that the beloved Belgian boy is a worldwide phenomenon, and that the two great filmmakers are directing and producing even though also participating as huge first-dollar-gross players.
So now it looks like Paramount may be in for more than they were planning. Is this going to slow up the film? It seems unlikely since the film does sound like a solid bet. However, I would expect Paramount to still try to find another partner. Studios always like to hedge their bets when they can to minimize potential losses.
Filming is expected to get started in October so hopefully they’ll all figure out the financing before then. I suppose Spielberg and Jackson could always throw in a few extra dollars to help out – it’s not like they don’t have it.
Jason do you think its likely there is a chance Universal knows something we don't… or most things Spielberg touches are gold? What do you think?
Jason do you think its likely there is a chance Universal knows something we don't… or most things Spielberg touches are gold? What do you think?
Personally, I'd want to be a part of anything involving Spielberg and Jackson. But hey, that's me.
Personally, I'd want to be a part of anything involving Spielberg and Jackson. But hey, that's me.
I saw an update on this right after I posted that said Spielberg and Jackson were asking for 30% of gross which meant Universal would have had to do something like $400M+ domestic in order to break even. There wasn't an upside for them in their opinion. Too much risk even with the players and project.
I saw an update on this right after I posted that said Spielberg and Jackson were asking for 30% of gross which meant Universal would have had to do something like $400M+ domestic in order to break even. There wasn't an upside for them in their opinion. Too much risk even with the players and project.
WOW…. thats asking a ton of the gross… it seems more and more the $400 million benchmark is the old $100 million benchmark…
WOW…. thats asking a ton of the gross… it seems more and more the $400 million benchmark is the old $100 million benchmark…
…and everyone else had to read about it exactly because…?
Because “hey, that's me” is such an important imbecile we all have to know about it?
Eat shit and die!
…and everyone else had to read about it exactly because…?
Because “hey, that's me” is such an important imbecile we all have to know about it?
Eat shit and die!
[...] a comment » Hace poco se anunció que Spielberg se las tenia dificil ya que Universal se salió del proyecto y sólo quedaba la [...]
I think the first part of your name sums up your comment…
I think the first part of your name sums up your comment…
I'm glad you summed it up because I had no idea what he was talking about.
I'm glad you summed it up because I had no idea what he was talking about.
Hey, I like Spielberg and Jackson too, but their works are not guaranteed box office success. Check out Minority Report and King Kong. They don't do so well.
Just because they're not box office successes doesn't mean I won't go see it. I liked both Minority Report and King Kong.
Minority Report grossed $358 million worldwide while King Kong grossed over $547 million worldwide and sits at #50 on the list of All-Time Worldwide Box Office – successful by anyone's definition.