'Creative issues' delay Spielberg film shooting in Malta

Film director Steven Spielberg (Schindler's List, E.T.) is said to be postponing his latest film project about the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, which was scheduled to be shot in Malta this summer.

Spielberg, without a doubt one of the most influential personalities in the history of film, as well as one of the wealthiest film-makers in the world, was in Malta in April on a fleeting visit, scouting for potential locations for his movie.

Although it has yet to be made official, Malta was to be one of the locations for the controversial movie about the hunt for the Palestinian terrorists who murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

A number of extras have already auditioned and have been selected to take part in the movie, which has been delayed before and has now been postponed to next spring.

Last week, Sky News announced the postponement of the Spielberg film due to the current, sensitive, political climate. It said the "sensitive subject matter and the current political climate has led the director to put the production on hold".

Asked to confirm the reason quoted for delaying the movie, the film's local production manager said: "The only climate we are worried about is the weather.

"We have been delaying the film for various creative reasons, which are now taking us into the winter. There are still some important creative issues that need to be sorted. That's all!"

The production manager said he was awaiting news from the Maltese government about incentives and that Malta was still "very much on the cards", despite rumours that the producers were considering shooting the film in Eastern Europe instead, because of the lucrative incentives on offer there.

A couple of thousands of extras had auditioned for the movie at the Catholic Institute in May. Those selected are now being informed that they would be called next spring once filming preparations resume. Meanwhile, any applications would remain valid and be held for the next two years for consideration for other productions filming in Malta.

Local coordinators thanked the Malta Film Commission for its assistance, as well as the Mediterranean Film Studios and Malta Drydocks for their continued support in view of the film's delay.

In the yet untitled film, which Sky News said was called Vengeance, actor Sir Ben Kingsley is said to have dropped out because of the delay, while Eric Bana, who played Hector in Troy and has, therefore, already filmed in Malta, is reported to head the remaining list of stars who have signed up for the movie.

The local production manager, however, said the creative talent would be announced at a later stage once everything was confirmed.