The Secret of the Unicorn Rackham's looks and costumes were also inspired by the character, Lerouge, who appears in C. S. Forester's novel, "The Captain from Connecticut", and by the 17th-century French buccaneer Daniel Montbars. The name of Marlinspike Hall— in French—was based upon the name of the real Belgian town, Sart-Moulin. The actual design of the building was based upon the Château de Cheverny, albeit with the two outer wings removed. In introducing Francis Haddock to the story, Hergé made Captain Haddock the only character in the series (except Jolyon Wagg, introduced later) to have a family and an ancestry. "The Secret of the
The Adventures of Tintin (film) justice". Spielberg and his production partner Kathleen Kennedy of Amblin Entertainment were scheduled to meet with Hergé in 1983 while filming "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" in London. Hergé died that week, but his widow decided to give them the rights. A three-year-long option to film the comics was finalized in 1984, with Universal as distributor. Spielberg commissioned "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" writer Melissa Mathison to script a film where Tintin battles ivory hunters in Africa. Spielberg saw Tintin as "Indiana Jones for kids" and wanted Jack Nicholson to play Haddock. Unsatisfied with the script, Spielberg continued with production