After more than a decade away from directing live-action features, Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson has officially confirmed he will helm the long-awaited sequel to The Adventures of Tintin. The news comes as a welcome surprise for fans who have been waiting since 2011 for a follow-up to the motion-capture adventure, which was originally directed by Steven Spielberg.
In a recent interview with Gold Derby, Jackson revealed that he and his longtime creative partner Fran Walsh are actively working on the script. “Fran and I have been writing a script for the next Tintin film because 15 years ago, Steven Spielberg directed a Tintin film and I produced it,” Jackson explained. The original plan, he noted, was always for a sequel, with the two directors swapping roles—Spielberg would produce while Jackson would take the director's chair. Though the project has taken far longer than anticipated, Jackson assured fans that “it’s a timeless story” and that the script has “just wrapped up.”
Jackson’s return to directing is significant. Since completing The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in 2014, he has largely stepped away from the director's chair, focusing instead on producing and documentary work. He served as a producer on Mortal Engines (2018) and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024), and he directed the acclaimed World War I documentary They Shall Not Grow Old (2018). But this Tintin sequel marks his first narrative feature film as director in over a decade.
Jackson’s absence from live-action directing was partly due to personal loss. In January 2026, he revealed that the death of his longtime cinematographer Andrew Lesnie in 2015 profoundly affected his creative path. “I think his death changed my creative path,” Jackson said in a video for the rerelease of The Return of the King. “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.”
The original The Adventures of Tintin, released in 2011, was a critical and commercial success, earning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It remains the only animated film in Spielberg's filmography to win an Academy Award. The movie combined cutting-edge motion-capture technology with a classic adventure story, following the young reporter Tintin (voiced by Jamie Bell) and his dog Snowy as they hunt for a hidden treasure. The sequel has been in development limbo for years, but Jackson's latest comments suggest it is finally moving forward.
Jackson's return to the director's chair also comes as Warner Bros. prepares to revisit Middle-earth with Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which will be directed by Andy Serkis. Jackson is serving as a producer and co-writer on that project alongside Walsh and Philippa Boyens. While fans might have hoped Jackson would direct another Lord of the Rings film, his focus is now squarely on Tintin. For those who want to revisit the original, The Adventures of Tintin is currently streaming on Paramount+.
As Jackson steps back into the director's seat, the entertainment world will be watching closely. The Tintin sequel promises to be a major event, especially given the director's track record with epic storytelling. For more on the latest in film and TV, check out our coverage of SDCC 2026's top TV moments and the best monsters in Lord of the Rings.
