‘Torso’ Seeks Tax Breaks in Cleveland
Torso, the film adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis’ graphic novel, is looking to start shooting in early 2009. The movie, set to star Matt Damon as the famed Elliot Ness, is looking to film in Cleveland but is seeking tax breaks to make extended shooting financially reasonable.
As reported in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, producer Bill Mechanic is seeking tax breaks or will lens interior scenes in Michigan, with its 40% tax incentives, and only shoot on location for exteriors.
"It all comes down to what’s the best place to get our movie shot for the least money," Mechanic said. "We want to shoot the entire movie, the interior and exterior shots, in Cleveland because that’s where the action takes place and so we wouldn’t have to relocate the crew. But without incentives, it doesn’t look like we can afford it."
The state’s legislation is stalled at the capitol.
Torso tells the story of the grisly Kingsbury Run murders where 13 people died between 1934 and 1938. Ness, then the city’s safety director, never found the killer. It inspired Bendis and Marc Andreyko (Manhunter) to cowrite the graphic novel version of other story with Bendis providing the artwork. The six issue miniseries was later collected by Image Comics as Torso: A True Crime Graphic Novel, releasing it in 2001. The miniseries won the 1999 Eisner Award for "Comic Book Excellence, Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition".
The film rights were sold in January 2006 with screenwriter Ehren Kruger handling the adaptation for director David Fincher. Mechanic is set to produce alongside Don Murphy, Todd McFarlane and Terry Fitzgerald.