Universal studio have declined an option to co-finance Tintin according to reports, leaving the film with DreamWorks and Paramount sitting with the film with Paramount as the sole money provider.

It's a strange decision considering how popular Tintin is without a film and that both Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are making the films. Guaranteed money maker doesn't even begin to describe it.

The report came out that Universal withdrew from the film just a little while ago from Deadline Hollywood Daily through Filmonic, and at first you might think that this is serious news for the film.

However they haven't pulled out of anything, they've just not taken up the option they had to co-finance it. While that might be a bit of a blow for DreamWorks, they still have Paramount to finance the film.

Of course it looks as though Tintin will be a pretty expensive franchise to make, but then it does sound like a guaranteed money earner what with the talent involved and the fact that it has such a massive audience already.

It's a strange decision indeed, because it does seem like easy money. How could Tintin possibly not make money?