What’s more chaotic than exploding car chases through a wasteland? Apparently litigations.
Since the incredible success of the delightful zaniness that is Mad Max: Fury Road, many have been wondering when we’ll receive another installment in the franchise. The most recent picture was hailed as a masterpiece of a film from critics and fans alike, leaving people wanting to see more of the grizzled wanderer and the mad world in which he’d survive in, but no progress has been made on a sequel.
Unfortunately, seeing Max Rockatansky on the big screen again might not happen for a long, long time. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, production company Kennedy Miller Mitchell, whose directors are George Miller (Mad Max series) and Doug Miller, is suing Warner Bros Studios over unpaid earnings during the production of Fury Road.
Warner Bros was supposed to give a $7 million bonus to the production company if the budget of the film went under $157 million, which the studio believes they didn’t do.
“On [Warner Bros’] calculations, Mad Max went over budget,” said Justice David Hammerschlag. “If these calculations are right, [Kennedy Miller Mitchell] does not get a bonus.”
The production company’s defense is that the studio wanted to make changes and delays to the film. This ultimately put the budget over the intended $157 million, which meant no bonus for Miller’s company. Miller claims that if the additional costs from the studio’s demands were left out, then the picture would’ve been under budget. He also claims the company was never informed by Warner Bros that additional costs from these delays would be included in the final budget.
It is unfortunate to see a movie studio and production company embroiled in legal issues – and it’s even more unfortunate when a popular film franchise gets buried because of it.
