It’s been close to a decade since Mad Max: Fury Road came roaring into theaters, boasting wild stunts and practical effects that let viewers feel like they were on the same dusty, dangerous roads as characters like Max (Tom Hardy), Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and Nux (Nicholas Hoult). With hundreds of millions of dollars in grosses and six Academy Award wins, it’s no wonder that the film is getting a follow-up. What may be surprising, though, is that the next installment in the Mad Max franchise focuses on a different character entirely, and fans can look forward to a new story in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Furiosa serves as a prequel to Fury Road, though it’s unclear how much earlier the film takes place in the franchise’s overall timeline. Furiosa begins 45 years after a major societal and ecological collapse. Traditional power structures have been rendered moot, with loosely organized tribes populating a largely desolate land. Furiosa resides in the Green Place of Many Mothers, a matriarchal, resource-rich society, but her peaceful existence is horrifically uprooted when she’s taken by the roving Biker Horde, led by Warlord Dementus.
While her captivity looks different than that suffered by the wives in Fury Road, Furiosa must still fight through many trials (and violent car chases) if she ever wants to make it home again. Her self-imposed mission is complicated, though, by a brewing conflict that sees the emergence of the tyrannical Immortan Joe.
Given that the film is a prequel set some years before Fury Road, Charlize Theron and co. will not be reprising their roles. Instead, Anya Taylor-Joy is playing Furiosa. The actress has starred in plenty of genre fare before, from The Witch and Split to The Northman and The Menu, but this is her first leading role in an action film. It’s an exciting move from Taylor-Joy, and Theron says she “can’t think of a better actress” to take on Furiosa.
As for the rest of the ensemble, Chris Hemsworth is sure to make waves as Warlord Dementus, the man responsible for Furiosa’s kidnapping. Power hungry with an affinity for fast bikes and violent action, Dementus is a villain through and through. Not much information is available about other characters in the film, but English actor Tom Burke has been cast as a major player as well.
George Miller has helmed every Mad Max film so far, and he continues to do so with Furiosa. The director is primed to bring the same level of visionary action to this project as he did with Fury Road, as many of his collaborators from that film are returning too. Fury Road’s Academy Award-winning production designer, sound mixer, hair and makeup artist, costume designer, and editor are all coming back to work on Furiosa, so all the elements are in place for the prequel to be as technically excellent as its predecessor.
The film is set to premiere in theaters on May 24, 2024. However, given that Fury Road screened at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, there’s a good chance there of a glitzier premiere on the international stage.
Yes—the first trailer and images of the movie dropped on Thursday, November 30. More is sure to come as the release date inches closer, but for now fans can be content with this fierce first look.
