Mad Max: Fury Road was one of the most successful movies of 2015, nabbing several Oscars and a lot of critical praise. Director George Miller actually has plans for two more sequels, but a lawsuit against Warner Bros is holding up any development on more Mad Max films.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the issue comes from Miller's production company Kennedy Miller Mitchell, suing Warner Bros for not giving them their deserved bonus after their work on the movie. The company claims they kept to the budget that was agreed upon, thus deserving the bonus, but Warner Bros believes otherwise.
On the Kennedy Miller Mitchell side, they say:
- Warner Bros insisted certain scenes in the script not be shot - including those around Immortan Joe's Citadel - with new scenes instead and a new ending.
- When Miller had a so-called "rough cut" of the movie, the studio made a series of decisions that caused "substantial changes and delays" to the production, including that the previously cut scenes and new ones be shot.
- The studio directed there be at least 10 screenings of Fury Road and, after each one, requested further changes.
- Warner Bros later approved a plan to shoot additional scenes costing $US31 million in late 2013, which required shipping vehicles back to Australia, reassembling the main cast and crew, re-creating an African set and extra post-production. And that these costs were to be excluded from the net cost of the movie.
- The studio arranged for Ratpac-Dune Entertainment to co-finance the movie despite being contractually required to offer Kennedy Miller Mitchell the first opportunity if it was required.
As for Warner Bros, they said:
- Fury Road "significantly exceeded the approved budget", with the extra costs largely caused by the production company, without the studio's written approval.
- Production was delayed and costs had escalated during filming in 2012 to the point where, without the changes sought by the studio, the movie could not be completed on schedule for the approved budget.
- The studio requested an alternative ending rather than insisting on it.
- Kennedy Miller Mitchell agreed to fund some of the additional filming in 2013.
- The release date was ultimately delayed by 14 months and the cost of production increased by $US31 million to $US185.1 million.
We don't know how all of this will go down, but what we do know is that it is causing the delay for any more Mad Max movies down the line.
It was known that George Miller already had a hard enough time trying to get Fury Road off the ground, but with this lawsuit, it looks like we'll have to wait a few more years before we get to see any return to the Mad Max wasteland.
Fans just have their fingers crossed that the studio and the production company find a compromise soon.
See Also: Charlize Theron Confirms Atomic Blonde 2 is in the Works
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