Warner Bros’ ‘Man Of Steel’ Sequel Scores $35M Michigan Tax Credit For Detroit Shoot
Look out Eminem — Superman and Batman are heading to Detroit. The Michigan Film Office today announced that Warner Bros’ untitled Man Of Steel sequel has been awarded a state incentive of $35 million to film there in early 2014. The office says that the sequel — in which Ben Affleck debuts as Batman and Henry Cavill reprises his Superman role from this year’s blockbuster — is expected to have $131 million worth of in-state expenditures when it films in and around Motor City. The now-bankrupt Detroit will serve as both Metropolis and Gotham in the first feature team-up between the two top DC Comics heroes. “Detroit is a great example of a quintessential American city, and I know it will make the perfect backdrop for our movie,” said director Zack Snyder in a statement Thursday. “Detroit and the entire state of Michigan have been fantastic collaborators and we are looking forward to working together on this film.” The Man Of Steel sequel is set to be released July 17, 2015.
Related: Why Ben Affleck As Batman Is Good Move For Warner Bros
With the state estimating 426 full-time jobs, $5.1 million in hotels and 500 local vendors being use for the film, the Warner Bros production is another big get for the economically ravaged city and state. Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful was shot at Pontiac’s Michigan Motion Picture Studios and Detroit is standing in for Tokyo in Transformers 4. Once one of the leading production locations in the country after California and New York, Michigan had slipped in recent years over amid the political uncertainty surrounding its film incentives and the lucrative offerings of other states like of Georgia and Louisiana. The first Man Oof Steel, which has made more than $290 million domestically since its June 14 release, was shot primarily in Vancouver, with additional production in Illinois and California. Part of the move to Michigan for the superhero sequel could be in part because Vancouver saw uncertainty of its own in recent months as the provincial government resisted calls from Hollywood to increase its incentive program. Man Of Steel 2 is expected to shoot in Toronto as well.
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