Superhero movie may shift to NZ after tax setback

Last updated 22:37 06/04/2008

WELLINGTON BOUND? Production of superhero flick Justice League Mortal - which includes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash - may shift to New Zealand after failing to qualify for tax breaks in Australia.

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Filming of a big budget movie featuring some of the world's best known superheroes may move from Australia to New Zealand after it failed to qualify for an Aussie tax break.

Justice League Mortal, which includes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash, had been in pre-production in Sydney, where it was going to be shot by Australian George Miller, best known for Mad Max and Happy Feet.

But the US$200 million (NZ$253 million) film's producer Barrie Osborne, who also produced Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, told The Dominion Post the superheroes film was now on hold.

The decision had already had an impact on Wellington's Weta Workshop, which had been designing the costumes for the film. Some Weta staff had been hired specifically for the project. Osborne said it was likely some would lose their jobs.

Miller had hoped his film would qualify for Australia's Film Finance Corporation's 40 per cent tax offset - meaning it would pay less tax. But to qualify a film had to have significant Australian content or be created and owned by Australians.

Osborne said Miller was still trying to get the tax break, but was seriously considering moving the production to New Zealand, or possibly to Canada or the United States.

"If George is unsuccessful in appealing to the [Australian] government, then there's two choices - you either scale back the movie in some substantial way or you find another place to do the movie that you can do for the budget."

Miller was a big fan of Jackson and Weta's achievements, and was inspired to make his animated film Happy Feet after Weta Digital's accomplishment with computer animation in The Lord of the Rings.

"He was very impressed with the work that Weta Workshop did for us on the Justice League costumes ...

"He admires what Peter Jackson's been able to do and the way he's organised. He would love to work here and if he did have to leave Australia, New Zealand is close. Where we end up it will depend on what we can make work budget-wise," Osborne said.

Osborne, who has also produced The Water Horse and Korean-American action film Laundry Warrior in New Zealand and was executive producer on The World's Fastest Indian, said regardless of where Justice League Mortal was filmed, Weta Workshop would then resume work on the costumes.

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