The beleaguered DC Comics Justice League film is still looking to make it’s July production start.
In March, George Miller’s film, entitled “Justice League (is) Mortal,” was refused the Australian Federal Government’s new film production 40 per cent refundable tax offset. Most Australians believed that a large budget film made by non-Australians should not be entitled to the rebate.
Film production had already been suspended in January due to the WGA strike, producers stating that the script still needed work.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that “the director of the equity section of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Simon Whipp, has lobbied against Justice League Mortal’s eligibility, describing it as an American story that will be performed in American accents.”
Whipp said, “For the public, both in Australia and outside of Australia, it will be seen as an American film… I have tremendous respect for George and his work, which has been some of the most successful films that we have ever produced. But the studio I think in this instance is seeking to push the limits of the envelope.”
Miller responded saying, “A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Australian film industry is being frittered away because of very lazy thinking… If that’s going to be the final decision, they’re throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars of investment that the rest of the world is competing for and, much more significantly, highly skilled creative jobs.”
Current speculation believes the studio will opt for Canada if Australia cannot be solidified by mid-April. If a decision is not reached soon on the JLA film, most likely the project will be tabled for the present as the delay would cause additional retainer fees to be paid on actors’ contracts.
Most hard-core JLA (Justice League of America) fans are not upset by this probable delay. Lackluster casting and a mediocre sounding plot have left many thinking the movie will be a flop worthy of past comic movies like “Daredevil” or Ang Lee’s 2003 “Hulk.”
Miller said, “It feels to me like I’m not fighting for this film. I’m fighting for the Australian film industry … New Zealand built up their franchises through Hercules and Xena into Lord of the Rings… Now they’re doing three Tintin films, two more Hobbit films and Halo. They’ve got work for 15 years in that country.”
