Basket.

Tintin movie in the works

Got the news early this morning from Today, and just grabbed the first link to come up on Google. Needless to say, I am very interested in how this is going to turn out. The boy reporter's (who, I have noted, barely ever does any actual reporting) adventures were an integral part of my childhood. I have read almost every issue, except the really rare ones (Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin in the Congo), although I do not own all of them, and these days occasionally revisit classic plotlines in bookstores if I happen to have a bit of time to kill.

It seems that all the classic series of my childhood are being revived as feature-length films; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is out this month, and Transformers is approaching. And now, Tintin. I am buoyed by the success of 300 and optimistic of yet more good adaptations - another of which will be Watchmen, slated tentatively for next year and directed by 300's Zack Snyder. In recent years, of course, the movie industry has awakened to the sheer popularity of classic graphic novels and comics - from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (based upon Alan Moore's series of the same name) to Spiderman (based on, well, Spiderman) to Batman Begins (based on Frank Miller's Batman Year One, with a sequel also coming along next year), Sin City (Frank Miller's Sin City), Fantastic Four (Marvel's Fantastic Four), the three X-men movies, and V for Vendetta (Alan Moore's V for Vendetta. This is leaving aside 2001's From Hell, a loose adaptation of Alan Moore's graphic novel of the same name, and latest of all, 300. It has been quite an incredible glut, and shows little sign of slowing down. Hits and misses (LXG, Fantastic Four), but when they are good, they are really good (300, Batman Begins. I just hope Watchmen is done justice to.

Would certainly not be surprised to see future adaptations of Swamp Thing, Tom Strong (both Alan Moore), Age of Bronze (when Shanower finally finishes it) or even Vertigo's Sandman series. It is interesting times for the entertainment industry, indeed.