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Saturday
20Sep2008

Spielberg and Jackson Can't Get Money to Make 'Tintin'

DateSaturday, September 20, 2008 at 7:08PM
When Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson teamed up to make Tintin, nobody expected this. Universal, which has grown rich off the imaginations of both men, has passed on their 3-D animated project because of its $130 million budget.

As The Los Angeles Times noted, the move "underscores how in today's tough economic climate, bottom-line concerns trump once-inviolable relationships between studios and talent." It must be at least partially for that reason, because Spielberg's latest film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, is the third biggest earner of 2008, and Peter Jackson is no slouch himself. Their combined domestic box office - just as directors - is over $4.5 billion, so to balk at a movie with a production budget $50 million less than that of Wall-E must mean there's another issue.

The Times reports that the cut both men would take out of the film's revenue makes it nearly impossible for Universal to make its own money back with a price tag in the $130 million range.

Let's not forget that Tintin isn't exactly Charlie Brown here in the U.S. Certainly, the revered and long-running comic book is a favorite of both Jackson and Spielberg, who has had the project in development for a very long time. Sources close to project, however, estimate that the movie would need to make $425 million worldwide just to break even. The money tree would shake out this way: 30% of total revenue from box office, DVD, and TV sales for Spielberg and Jackson, which would be around $100 million, after which Universal could start to make back its coin.

That's a fascinating look behind the scenes; so often, people think if a $100 million movie makes $200 million, it's doubled its money. This shows you just how much cash blockbusters really need to take in, with percentage and points and other deals taken into account after the fact.

But here's a thought: Can't two of the richest men in show business pay for the movie themselves? What's $65 million to Spielberg? Jackson knows he'll get his money back with The Hobbit movies, so if it's a project they really believe in, why not make it themselves?

But as you might expect, Spielberg is not standing pat. He's already shown some test footage to Paramount, with hopes that it will replace Universal as a financier and distributor. If they do, Spielberg will begin shooting the motion capture movie next month.

If not...I guess we wait.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , , , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment5 Comments |

Reader Comments (5)

Good. Spielberg / Jackson isn't the right pair to do Tintin.

Sunday, September 21, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLengthy Johnson

Good news. i don't wann a crappy CGI tintin movie. The animated series are so freat, anyway!

Sunday, September 21, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterAdam

Spielberg and Jackson, the biggest directors ever, how can they say no. Give me one movie that Spielberg has done that hasn't been a huge success, give me one. Jackson maybe?

Sunday, September 21, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterAnders

I think the clue is that Tintin isn't huge in the English-speaking world.

But Spielberg is awful when he's filming for kids, success or not.

Jackson is just extremely lengthy and boring these days when nobody is telling him to keep it short anymore.

Monday, September 22, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLengthy Johnson

What are you guys talking about? This movie has the potential to be bigger than Shrek given the direction of the series. Tintin is a comic that's innocent cartoon look describe stories involving secret opium transports, or murder cases. This has a lot of potential to gross over that if these two guys can get their acts together and give Tintin the success it has in building a large story while displaying amazingly fun filled adventures throught the entire world. I would almost love to see this be real people with artistic taste, not just specific renditions. Either way I'm excited for this film!

Thursday, September 25, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDrew

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