Steven Spielberg’s computer animated 3D adaptation of Belgian comic book hero Tintin premiered in Brussels on Saturday, aiming to capture a new global audience for the adventures of the boy reporter with the trademark quiff. In The Adventures of Tintin – The Secret of the Unicorn, Spielberg, who directed blockbusters including Indiana Jones, E.T. and Jaws, aims to bridge the gap between Herge’s comics and the big screen by employing a technique similar to that deployed in James Cameron’s record-breaking Avatar.

Tintin may have a new benefactor. Filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are in the process of trying to line up a co-financing and co-distribution partner for their in-the-works trilogy of “Tintin” films, set up at Paramount Pictures. The director-producers are trying to entice Sony Pictures, which is now in discussions with Paramount, to help finance the films and take on international distribution.