KEY POINTS:
James Bond actor Daniel Craig has landed a role as the villain in the new Tintin movie, according to reports.
Craig, best known for his role as secret agent 007, has reportedly signed up for the role of evil pirate Red Rackham in the first of three planned Tintin movies from Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg.
British actor Jamie Bell, best known for his role in Billy Elliot, will star opposite Craig as the intrepid young reporter Tintin.
Other stars signed on for the film include Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Mackenzie Crook.
Filming for The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, directed by Spielberg, has already begun, according to Variety magazine. Reports also say the film will partly be shot in Wellington later this year.
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, who is co-producing the project with Spielberg, will direct the sequel.
The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn is scheduled for release in 2011.
- NZ HERALD ONLINE