When it came time for Steven Spielberg to premiere his new film, The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, he had no doubts as to where to do it. The famous comic by Belgian artist Georges Rémi (who wrote under the pen name of Hergé) was one of the most loved in Europe and Spielberg’s first film adaptation of the comic book series premiered in its creator’s hometown of Brussels.

“To highjack Tintin and bring it to America first, and then release it overseas second, would be something that would not have even occurred to us,” explained Spielberg. “From the outset, the plan was to give Tintin back to the countries where Tintin was the most beloved.”

Spielberg has had much hometown support from the tradition-bound nation for his project with the comic, with Belgium’s Princess Astrid even attending the world premiere. On top of that, Spielberg was also made a Commander in the Order of the Crown by the Belgian government.

The famed director bought the rights to the character back in the 1980s and has developed the first film slowly over the past three decades – but he doesn’t plan on upholding that pace for the upcoming adaptations.

“We have chosen the next story. We have a screenplay that is being written right now,” Spielberg said, declining to reveal which of Herge’s two-dozen Tintin books he would take on next.

The movie is premiering first in Europe and elsewhere before premiering in the U.S. this winter.

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