UK, Europe getting 'Tintin' first

Steven Spielberg's Tintin movie will open in the UK and Europe two months before its US bow, Sony Pictures and Paramount have announced.

The 3-D motion capture project, titled The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn, will debut in European territories in late October and early November 2011 before arriving in the US on December 23.

Adapted from Hergé's cartoon creation, it focuses on an intrepid young reporter who goes on adventures with his faithful dog Snowy. Spielberg was made aware of the character while promoting Raiders Of The Lost Ark across Europe, where the press likened Tintin's exploits to those of Indiana Jones.

Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are among the Secret Of The Unicorn cast.

Should the movie prove successful, Peter Jackson will direct a sequel. However, it faces stiff competition at the US box office with a Happy Feet sequel and Pixar's The Bear And The Bow opening at a similar time.