As a „TINTIN” fan I fell in love with Spilbergs/Jacksons movie, which was both a great adaptation as well had many terrific tribute (Herge’s cameo, many in-jokes for the fans) and cannot wait for the sequel...  To be fair I’m still puzzled by the people who walk out of the Tintin movie saying “Je-weez! I wonder will they make a sequel…”

Well sorry for the spoiler guys but… DID YOU NOT SEEN THE LAST TWO MINUTES!? This movie was screaming “Hey, guess what this is just the beginning of a bigger adventure” for the entire last scene and to be honest this was my only big complain about it. I don’t mind when movies do it (especially since this is meant to be a part of trilogy) but sill I think there is a more subtle way to do it then have your character just talk about it for the entire last scene. Plus I like movies to be salve-contain without relaying  on a sequel to tell the rest of the story…  especially if sequel will turnout to be bad!


Any way lets take on pick on possible Tintin sequel plots, shall we.

For all of you who are not very familiar with Tintin and are probably saying  “WOW! I heard there is over 20 more Tintin books, so they have so much more material for the movies….”  Yhe! Sorry, to burst you bubble but Spilberg already burn the bridge for about eight of those books during first ten minutes of the movie!!!!!!


As Tintin walks to his office he passes newspapers from his previews adventures which are all references to the cases his crack in stories period too “Crab with the Golden Crabs” and “Secret of the Unicorn” (which are the stories the movie is base on)

The newspapers references stories “Tintin in the Congo” (which wouldn’t be made into a movie since this story is racist as hell by today standards  , “Cigars of the Pharaoh”,  “The Broken Ear” and “Kings Ottokar’s  Sceptre” as well “The Black Island” (it’s very hard to spot) and “The Blue Lotus” (and “Tintin in the Land of the Soviets” and “Tintin in America” while not seen are the least likely books to be made into movies since both early adventures that have very little to no plot exept for “Tintin walks from spot A too spot B and evil people try to kill him for the crimes of being a Tintin for the crime of being Belgian”)
Don’t get me wrong this scene was perfect way to introduce Tintin and a great tribute (When I seen the movie for the fist time it made me hype as hell) but in a way it was Spilberg saying “Yhe, those books aren’t as good and will never interest me to be made into possible sequel, so lets just get them out of the way”… But then again none of those books feature Haddock and it would be tricky to force his character into a plot that doesn’t  require him in any way.  


Now, Spielberg’s movie combines plots from Tintin stories “The Crab with the Golden Claws “ and “The Secret of the Unicorn” (well , duh!) which counting what I mentioned above narrows down the list of Tintin books from 23  (I’m not counting the unfinished “Tintin and the Alph-Art)  to 13.


So what Is left and what are odds it will be made?

- “Tinitn the Shooting Star”…. Which while have some scary as hell apocalyptic dream sequence  (it was made time more freaky in the animated series) is a very simple plot about Tintin and Haddock racing to a island when a meteor hit to proclaim it in the name of their country (yhe, it was a big peace of propaganda) and to be honest is one of most science-fictionesqe plots of the series, and It would be large contrast to previews movie which all take place in a very grounded reality…
Verdict : NO!!!!

- “Red Rackham Treasure” – Before somebody will start with “BUT WHAIT A MINUTED! DIDN’T THE LAST MOVIE USED THIS BOOK AS PART OF THE PLOT FOR THE UNICORN MOVIE? I READ ABOUT IT ON WIKIPEDIA…” Nope. The movie only used the last three pages of the book living the entire large treasure hunt plot for Spilberg to explore. Plus this is the story which introduce Professor Calculus, which is a popular and incredibly funny character all fans want to see in the sequel.
Verdict  : YES!

– “The Seven Crystal Balls”/”Prisoners of the Suns” – A two part story, one of my personal favorites, the first part of the books is incredibly creepy and mysterious, involving an ancient curse, and the second part takes place in the Andes and is very adventures.  The ending is a bit dues-ex machine but to be honest  - By far most Indiana Jones-like Tintin story.

Verdict  : YES!!!! (by far the story I would be most happy to see being made to the screen)

- “Land of the Black Gold” – I will be honest, this is one Tintin book I found least interesting … Tintin goes to solve the case of an oil crisis  and while it has many great moments… I don’t know. Plus the last movie already took much time in the desert and this book is 90% about it…  I want new exotic locations dam it!

Verdict  : No (forgive me, Tintin fans…)

-  Destination Moon/Explorers of the Moon – Ok, there is one big problem with this book being made into a movie and it’s the fact that… It was made before first man manage to get to the moon so this story made not be as exiting for the modern viewers. However if you can push this aside… This is one of most exiting of Tintin books. It has some very powerful suspense moments,  some teary eye moments (I don’t want to spoil it but… well lets just say sad things happens to some characters) and is in my opinion of one the most mature books by Hagre.
Verdict  : YEEEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!

- The Calculus Affair – It’s a Ok Tintin story to be made into a movie, however it’s very cold-warish in tone, the would have to introduce Calculus first and I somehow don’t see it fit the “Indiana Jones-like” tone of the first Spilberg movie… Still I wouldn’t like t see it.
Verdict  : Yes… but only if connected with a different Tintin story..

-   The Red Seas Shars – Well , this story deals with both drug smuggling and human slavery which as we all know are both perfect topics for kids movies (seriously, since they got away with Haddocks alcoholism, I bet they would get away with this one) but this story strongly relay on previews Tintin adventures references… I don’t know, I just don’t see this one made into a movie.

Verdict : Nope.

- “Tintin in Tibet”  - Yes! A good one, as long the establish Tintin friendship with his friend Chang who Tintin meet long before “The Secret of Unicorn” (“Blue Lotus) This is by far most personal of Tintin cases (he goes to look a friend who everybody thinks had die in a plain crash  but he have a hunch his survived and is calling for Tintin's hep in his dream's) so it could made a good emotional story, especially since the movies establish Tintin as super-rationalist and this story deals with booth faith and paranormal elements so they could explore this side of his character…
Verdict : Yes!

- “The Castafiore Emerald” – I LOVE THIS STORY! One of my top favorites… Except it would made one very boring movie! It all takes place in Haddocks house and forest and country side around him. There is no chase scenes, main villains or treats. Its one of those detective stories that only work in a book and while it’s great there it would translate badly o a movie…
Verdict : (sadly) No!


-  Flight 714 – Much like “The Red sea Sharks” this one suffers from plenty of references to previews Tintin stories as plot points, however this one still would made an interesting movie since it’s center around plane being hijack and being taken to island by criminals, lead by Tintin arch-foe Rastapopoulos. Now, Rastapopoulos (man, writing his name is hard) is a very James Bond type villain and a fan favorite when it’s come down to Tintin’s rouges gallery. I hope to see hi in one of future movies.
Verdict : No… but they will probably will use some elements sooner or later since Rastapopoulos is Tintin’s Joker and this story explores him the most.

- Titin and the Picaros – So-so! This story have some wonderful moments but I just don’t see it working as a movie, especially since it’s a strong sequel to previews Tintin stories (many characters returns etc.)
Verdict : No...

That’s it for now
Yours Maciek of Poland