Los Angeles casting is currently underway for the upcoming Peter Jackson/Steven Spielberg "Tintin" feature film, reportedly "Tintin: Secret Of The Unicorn", based on the comic strip stories by Belgian author/artist Herge.Writer Steven "Jekyll" Moffat is writing the screenplay, from the "Tintin" comic strip adventures translated into more than 50 languages with over two hundred million books sold.
The stories feature young reporter 'Tintin' involved in international crime intrigues, travelling the world and to the moon, accompanied by his loyal dog 'Snowy', drunken friend 'Captain Haddock', deaf 'Professor Cuthbert Calculus' and the bumbling twin detectives 'Thomson' and 'Thompson'.
Films will be made using 3-D performance capture, with Spielberg's DreamWorks studio committing to produce at least one film, according to Nick Rodwell, Herge Studios.
The first film "The Secret Of The Unicorn" leads into "Red Rackham's Treasure".
Originally published as a series in "Le Soir" (June 1942 - January 1943), "The Secret of the Unicorn", focuses on the investigation and discovery of treasure ship 'The Unicorn' and its pirate connection to Captain Haddock.
Rodwell says the first "Tintin" movie will be ready in 2009.
Here is a casting breakdown:
'Aristides Silk' (British, 60s), a seemingly friendly British or international pickpocket with a memorable face who is balding and has a mustache;
'Allen' & 'Ernie' (British working class, 30s-40s), two seamen smugglers disguised as workmen;
'Barnaby' (American, 35-50), a fat and sweaty Interpol inspector who's better at his job than he looks;
'Lt. Delacourt' (British, 30s-40s), the amiable, pipe-smoking commander of the Afghar outpost who helps 'Tintin' and 'Captain Haddock';
'Max' & 'Gerontium Bird' (British, 40s), these brothers' businessman-like appearance bely the fact that they're gun smugglers on the 'Karaboudjan';
'Merrydew' (British, 30s), an envious reporter rival of Tintin's;
'Mr. Crabtree' (British working class, 50s-60s), a stall keeper/vendor at the 'Old Street Market';
'Mrs. Finch' (British, 50s), Tintin's landlady with a fierce, beaky face and personality to match;
'Nestor' (British, 40s-60s), a kindly, efficient butler who works for the 'Bird' brothers and finds himself in troubled circumstances;
'Omar Ben Salaad' (40s-50s, International), a larger-than-life arms dealer with 14 wives and a commanding voice;
'Pilot' and 'Co-pilot' (international, 30s-40s) of Omar Ben Salaad's seaplane;
'Red Rackham' (British, 40s-60s), described as tall and thin, larger than life with a sinister edge;
'Sakharine' (30s-60s, International), a tall, thin and mysterious stranger with a foreign accent that can't be placed;
'Ahmed' (20s-40s, International), an obedient soldier under Lt. Delacourt's command;
'Wetherbuck' (40s-50s, British), Tintin's big, bellowing, cigar-chomping editor and mentor;
'Thomson' & 'Thompson' (British, 35-50s), two ineffective, narrow-minded policemen described as more stupid than mean, moronic yet pretentious, comical and clumsy. They are identical and can only be distinguished by their mustaches...
