Interesting Jackson News

[Mister Underhill]

Originally Posted by IMDB

Spielberg, Jackson Can't Get Budget OK For Tintin

With studios finding it especially difficult during the current financial storm to find funding for their pictures, Universal Pictures has rejected a film submitted to it by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, the Los Angeles Times reported today (Friday). The final budget for their 3-D animated Tintin had come in at $130 million. In reporting the studio's decision, the Times commented, "Universal's refusal to finance Tintin underscores how in today's tough economic climate, bottom-line concerns trump once-inviolable relationships between studios and talent. Until now, however, filmmakers of Spielberg's and Jackson's stature were thought to be immune to the brass-knuckles tactics of the studios. Squeezed by a business trapped between rising costs and leveling revenues, the two filmmakers are Hollywood's latest -- and most prominent -- victims of cost containment."

Very interesting. I wonder what, if anything, this might mean for The Hobbit, which I would imagine will budget out somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 to $300M for two films.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Wow, that is sobering news indeed! I wouldn't have imagined that to happen to two successful 'giants' of the biz. However, I can't imagine the studios canceling a surefire hit like The Hobbit - not when they look back at the success of the LotR. My first thought was, could this mean they will be concentrating on The Hobbit earlier, since Jackson won't be doing Tintin? I don't remember what the precise schedule for filming both projects was.

Maybe the project will be whittled down to just the one film - not necessarily a bad thing!

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Yes. It's hard to believe Tintin production
would be held up, given the virtually guaranteed
boffo box office in Europe.

As for The Hobbit, there would seem to be solid reasons
to film both at about the same time (interest level,
use of much of sets, wardrobe, etc. in both films).

[Lush]

Everywhere you go, it's bad news for the economy...

[Andsigil]

Originally Posted by Tuor in Gondolin

Yes. It's hard to believe Tintin production
would be held up, given the virtually guaranteed
boffo box office in Europe

On a side note, Tintin does have a small, loyal following in the US. I count myself in that number.

[Mister Underhill]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Wow, that is sobering news indeed! I wouldn't have imagined that to happen to two successful 'giants' of the biz.

If these two can't get a green light on a relatively modest $130M budget, what hope do mere mortals have?

However, I can't imagine the studios canceling a surefire hit like The Hobbit - not when they look back at the success of the LotR. My first thought was, could this mean they will be concentrating on The Hobbit earlier, since Jackson won't be doing Tintin? I don't remember what the precise schedule for filming both projects was.

IIRC, they're looking at shooting in about a year, with 2011 and 2012 release dates. You're probably right about them not canceling, especially considering that the parent studio, Warner Brothers, is flush with cash from The Dark Knight and thus more or less economy-proof for the next few years unless they make some really dumb choices.

I thought about Jackson turning his attention to TH too, and maybe being a bit more hands on, but then again I still wouldn't bet against some studio (or two, in some kind of co-financing deal) picking up the Tintin slack.

No, I think any effect of this general studio belt-tightening will be something that's hard to "see", probably taking shape primarily in the form of even more than usual studio interference in the writing process. "Can we add a dwarf-tossing gag somewhere in here? We've got three-hundred million riding on this, people!"

"Sobering", though, is a good word. If there's a safer bet in Hollywood right now than Spielberg and Jackson, I'd like to know what it is.