Peter Jackson to Direct Tintin Sequel After 12-Year Hiatus
Sir Peter Jackson, the New Zealand filmmaker best known for directing the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, has confirmed he will return to direct the sequel to 2011’s *The Adventures of Tintin*, marking his first feature film in over a decade. The 64-year-old, who last directed a narrative film in 2014 with *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies*, revealed the news in interviews with *Gold Derby* and *ScreenRant*. Jackson, who produced the 2011 Tintin film directed by Steven Spielberg, stated that he and partner Fran Walsh have completed a script for the follow-up, which he described as a timeless story.
The project, originally envisioned as a collaboration between Jackson and Spielberg, took 15 years to materialize after the duo swapped roles—Spielberg directing the first film and Jackson producing, with the plan to reverse their roles for the sequel. It’s just taken 15 years to get there, unfortunately, a bit late,
Jackson said, adding, So probably the next film that I’d actually direct is a Tintin movie.
The Tintin Project’s Long Road from Concept to Script
The Tintin sequel’s development has been marked by delays and shifting creative dynamics. Jackson first hinted at the project in 2011, when he and Spielberg discussed a follow-up to their collaboration on *The Adventures of Tintin*, an animated film based on Hergé’s classic Belgian comic series. The original film, which used performance capture technology, featured Jamie Bell as Tintin, Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock, and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as Thomson and Thompson. Critics noted its technical ambition but criticized its emotional detachment, with *The Independent*’s Geoffrey Macnab calling the characters as inexpressive as masks.
Despite the mixed reception, the film’s success hinted at a potential franchise. Jackson’s return to the project comes after a 12-year hiatus from feature filmmaking, during which he focused on documentaries like *They Shall Not Grow Old* (2018) and *The Beatles: Get Back* (2021), as well as producing films such as *Mortal Engines* (2018) and *The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim* (2024).
Jackson’s Recent Projects and the Impact of Andrew Lesnie’s Passing
Jackson’s absence from directing narrative features since 2014 has been linked to the death of his long-time cinematographer, Andrew Lesnie, in 2015. In a video for the re-release of *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*, Jackson reflected on how Lesnie’s passing altered his creative path. I think his death changed my creative path,
Jackson said. The result is for 11 or 12 years, I haven’t made a drama film because that would require me to build a relationship with another DP.
Lesnie, who worked on all of Jackson’s major films, including *The Lord of the Rings* and *The Hobbit* trilogies, was described by Jackson as like a brother.
While Jackson has since returned to producing and directing documentaries, his announcement of the Tintin sequel signals a potential return to narrative filmmaking.
The Future of the Tintin Sequel and Middle-earth Projects
Jackson’s involvement in *The Hunt for Gollum* underscores his continued connection to Middle-earth, even as he prepares to direct the Tintin sequel. While no release date has been set for the Tintin sequel, Jackson’s recent focus on the project suggests it is a priority. The filmmaker also confirmed he is working on three screenplays, though details remain undisclosed. Despite his long hiatus, Jackson emphasized he is certainly not retired,
stating, We are currently working on three different screenplays.
The Tintin sequel, if realized, would mark a significant return for a director whose work redefined modern fantasy cinema.
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