Michigan film incentives face uncertain future as Snyder, House seek to cut $50 million budget

5/31/2014

LANSING, Mich. — If you spot the Batmobile zipping around Detroit or Superman flying past the Renaissance Center this summer, you will be witnessing the latest example of Michigan’s film incentives program at work.

Filming for the Warner Bros. movie “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” recently began in Detroit after Michigan announced it would give the producers up to $35 million for working here. That’s the bulk of the $43.2 million the Michigan Film Office has allocated to nine projects planned this year. The incentives are intended to create jobs and infuse money into the state’s economy.

But while Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill fight fictional crime in Detroit, lawmakers in Lansing are waging their yearly fight over the state budget, which could cut the $50 million incentives program by half.