Peter Jackson has officially confirmed that he is returning to the director’s chair after 12 whole years. It will be for a new The Adventures of Tintin movie, announced at the Cannes Film Festival 2026, which is now back in active development, and he has even revealed having completed a fresh script for the sequel.

The announcement came during a Cannes masterclass at the Debussy Theatre, where the filmmaker revealed he has been working on the screenplay from his hotel room, even during the festival. The upcoming film will serve as an animated follow-up to The Adventures of Tintin (2011), originally directed by Steven Spielberg, with Jackson now taking over the designated duties.

The sequel is expected to draw from the Tintin books Prisoners of the Sun, The Seven Crystal Balls, and The Temple of the Sun by Hergé, continuing the multi-story structure used in the first film. Spielberg, who produced the original, has long maintained that Jackson would helm the next chapter.

Jackson’s return also marks a personal creative revival following a long break from feature filmmaking. He has spoken about struggling to re-engage with directing after the death of his longtime collaborator, Andrew Lesnie, in 2012. Stepping away from projects, he has instead chosen Tintin as a focused, passion-driven comeback tied to a story he has carried for over a decade.

That decision connects directly to another evolving chapter within his wider cinematic universe.

The Hunt for Gollum: All About the Upcoming Lord of the Rings Movie

The Hunt for Gollum is the next cinematic chapter in the The Lord of the Rings saga, set between The Hobbit trilogy and the original films. The story centers on Gollum and a tense mission led by Gandalf and Aragorn to track him as Sauron’s influence spreads across Middle-earth. Rather than a large-scale war narrative, the film leans into a tighter, character-driven pursuit.

Andy Serkis has returned to perform Gollum and is also directing the film, making it a deeply personal extension of his long association with the character. The cast includes Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo, alongside Lee Pace reprising Thranduil.

New additions such as Kate Winslet and Leo Woodall expand the story’s political and emotional layers. The film continues its connection to Wētā Workshop in New Zealand. Walking away from Peter Jackson's careful curation as he delves into The Adventures of Tintin, the film's theatrical release is set for December 17, 2027, aiming to expand the mythology while offering a more contained entry point for audiences.

What do you think about Peter Jackson returning to The Adventures of Tintin and the future of his film projects? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Pratham Gurung

Edited by

Adiba Nizami