AceShowbiz -

Universal Pictures have backed out from their plan to finance "Tintin" trilogy. L.A. Times reported that the studio have recoiled from the Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson's proposed 3-D animated films after Spielberg and Jackson submitted a final budget tally of $130 million.

The rejection of Universal forces the director duo to find another financial partner because Paramount Pictures, with which Spielberg has been developing the project, only agreed to finance half the trilogy. The decision to decline "Tintin" funding is said to be possibly caused by today's tough economic climate, stressing that it had nothing to do with the content of the films or the filmmaker duo.

Chronicling the adventures faced by a junior reporter known simply as Tintin and his friends, his white dog named Snowy, the lunatic Captain Haddock, the muddled genius Professor Calculus and the Thompson Twins, "Tintin" will be made into three movies with the first one directed by Spielberg and the second by Jackson. Due to the backing out of Universal as financial partner, the production of the flick set for October start has been put on hold.

Based on the famous Herge's European comic strip, "The Adventures of Tintin", the film is scripted by Steven Moffat for DreamWorks which parent company is Paramount. The first film is expected to hit the theaters sometime in 2009 and will be starred by Thomas Sangster and Andy Serkis.