Why did Warner Bros. decide to film Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice in Michigan? There are at least 35 million reasons, as in the $35 million that the state of Michigan is providing Warner Bros. as an incentive.Like many states, Michigan has a tax incentive program to lure production companies into filming in their state. In 2014, Michigan lawmakers allocated $50 million in the state budget to be used to lure production companies to film in the state. Around $43.2 million is expected to be allocated to nine projects in 2014 with Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice receiving $35 million of that total.The money that Warner Bros. will receive is actually dependent on how much they spend in Michigan. Warner Bros. is eligible for up to 35% of their expenditures in Michigan, and Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice is expected to spend in the neighborhood of $131 million.Of course, Michigan is likely hoping that Warner Bros. returns to film other projects like Justice League. However, according to the Detroit Free Press, it’s possible that the $50 million incentive program could be cut in half as soon as next year. A key backer in Michigan’s Senate is reaching his term limit, so his departure raises questions over the future of the program.While incentive programs are pretty much a requirement these days to lure production companies to film in a specific area, they often prove controversial, as some would argue tax payer dollars shouldn’t be used to subsidize large Hollywood companies. Similar debate occurred in North Carolina after around $20 million in incentives were used to lure Iron Man 3 to the state.
