Source:The Sydney Morning Herald

March 19, 2008

UPDATE: Variety has also published an article on the situation.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Australia is about to lose the George Miller-directed Justice League Mortal after it was refused the Federal Government's new film production rebate.

The Oscar-winning director of Happy Feet and the "Mad Max" films said that the $200 million movie had a 90 per cent chance of being shot overseas after being knocked back by the board of the Film Finance Corporation.

"A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Australian film industry is being frittered away because of very lazy thinking," Miller said. "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."

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.

Miller said he had "utter creative control" over the film and plans to appeal against the decision. "It feels to me like I'm not fighting for this film. I'm fighting for the Australian film industry."