Melbourne, Nov 14 (PTI) Director George Miller is suingWarner Bros alleging that the company reneged on paying him amulti-million-dollar bonus for the 2015 action hit "Mad Max:Fury Road".
The veteran Australian filmmaker, who created the Mad Maxfranchise in 1979 with Mel Gibson in the lead role, claims thestudio was contracted to pay his company, Kennedy MillerMitchell, a USD 7 million bonus if the sequel came in at afinal cost of less than USD 157 million, reported SydneyMorning Herald.
The dispute is being litigated in the Supreme Court ofNew South Wales where Kennedy Miller Mitchell is based, ratherthan the US, and revolves around whether it was the studio orMiller's fault for budget overruns.
"On (Warner Bros') calculations, 'Mad Max' went overbudget. If these calculations are right, (Kennedy MillerMitchell) does not get a bonus.
"(But the production company) claims (Warner Bros) made aseries of decisions which caused substantial changes anddelays to 'Mad Max,' which led to additional costs andexpenses and that (the studio) wrongly took them into accountin its over-budget calculation. If those costs are left out ofaccount (Kennedy Miller Mitchell) says that 'Mad Max' came inunder budget," Justice David Hammerschlag said.
In a statement to Deadline, Warner Bros said, "Wedisagree and will vigorously defend against these claims." "Mad Max: Fury Road" began production in 2012, but dueto a series of delays and lengthy re-shoots was not releaseduntil three years later in 2015. It grossed over USD 378million worldwide and was nominated for 10 Oscars, receivingsix. There has been talk of at least two more films in the MadMax franchise, with stars Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron readyto return.
Miller has also been rumoured for other directingassignments on the Warner Bros, including "Man of Steel 2" and"Green Lantern Corps". PTI SHDSHD.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.