In a feature at the Financial Review, Mad Max and Happy Feet director, George Mlller, says that if the 40% tax rebate for games is given the green light in Australia, he can start the production of two big games here right away. He lists one of the titles as the long rumoured game adaptation of the new Mad Max film which was originally planned for development in Sweden until Miller saw what Team Bondi was capable of with L.A Noire.
The other title is Whore of the Orient, a previously unnanounced game in the works by Team Bondi founder, Brendan McNamara, which Miller has acquired the rights to. McNamara had only recently revealed to Eurogamer.net that he was writing a new game and in the process of pitching it to interested parties. He described it as "one of the great untold stories of the twentieth century".
The Financial Review feature also covers Miller's inroads into games development, from the collaboration with Krome Studios on the game adaptation of his Happy Feet 2 film, Krome's closure which sparked the creation of KMM Games with Krome staff to finish off the title, and the absorption of Team Bondi who in turn also helped out on the project. As to why he's so interested in games development, Miller says the numbers just add up. From the Financial Review...
(Miller) They’ll [the film industry] make 10 films where they used to make 20. So, instead, people are drifting to game acquisition because of the budgets. The cost of a film may be $170 million – twice that to market it – whereas the basic cost of making a game might be 10 per cent of that. Look at LA Noire, they sold about 3 million units in a week, about $US135 million ($130 million) net revenue, off a cost base which was infinitely lower than even your average low-budget film.
There's a whole lot more than games related talk in the article, with topics jumping from Dr D Studios (a collaboration between Miller, Doug Mitchell, and the Omnilab Media Group), the recent retrenchment of Doctor D staff, the Australian film industry, the hardships involved with making the new Max Mad film, and a whole lot more.
If you ever need a great source to get clued up George Miller and his recent efforts in games and film, this article will most definitely de-mystify it all for you. Head on over to the Financial Review!