Key takeaways:
– George Miller, the director of the Mad Max franchise, had plans for sequels including Furiosa and Mad Max: The Wasteland.
– Legal disputes and the desire to work on different projects delayed their productions.
– The Furiosa movie is ready and has a trailer while the Wasteland movie is still uncertain.
– Tom Hardy still expresses interest in reprising the role of Max if the sequel materializes.
In a series contributing to the legacy of dystopian cinema, the Mad Max franchise led by director George Miller enters the limelight once more. The question that’s sparked fans’ curiosity is – Will the much-anticipated sequel, Mad Max: The Wasteland, ever come to life?
The Reasons Behind The Hold-Up
Miller’s journey back to the post-apocalyptic world of his protagonist Max Rockatansky was postponed for several reasons. Initially, after wrapping up Mad Max: Fury Road, Miller set his sights on creating a different and smaller film — Three Thousand Years of Longing. This new project took several years to complete and release since Fury Road’s debut in 2015.
Coinciding with this, Miller filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros, the franchise’s studio, accusing the executives of malpractices affecting their professional relationship. The lawsuit, which focused on unpaid earnings from Fury Road, was finally settled in 2019, favoring Miller. This resolution paved the way for Furiosa, another sequel with Anya Taylor-Joy playing the leading role, post the completion of Three Thousand Years of Longing.
The State Of The Wasteland Script
When Miller indicated he had a screenplay and a novella for the upcoming stories of the franchise, the complete screenplay turned out to be Furiosa. The foundation for Mad Max: The Wasteland remains within the confines of the novella, which is still to be converted into a complete screenplay. Miller described this story as “still not fully evolved” in 2022. He confirmed Furiosa’s absence from the Wasteland, as the plot is set before her time in the series timeline.
Tom Hardy’s Role in The Wasteland
The gap between the movies raises the question of Tom Hardy, the actor who portrayed Max in Fury Road, returning to the role. According to Hardy, the question isn’t the possibility of him reprising the role but when it will come to fruition. Breathing life into Max again doesn’t seem out of place, considering Hardy replaced the original Mad Max, Mel Gibson, in Fury Road.
The Future with Director Miller
Miller, who turns 78 this year, expresses his intend to return with both Furiosa and Mad Max: The Wasteland. Despite the arduous task of directing these colossal projects at his senior age, fans remain hopeful. Should the challenge outweigh his capacity, Miller earmarked three potential directors for his franchise.
The question remains, will Mad Max: The Wasteland ever happen? Answering this falls under speculative territory, largely hinging on the performance of Furiosa, set for release on May 24, 2024. Meanwhile, Miller assures fans of future stories involving Mad Max and a post-Wasteland sequel. In Miller and Hardy’s words, it’s not a question of if, but when.
With Furiosa’s release date approaching and the concept for The Wasteland gathering dust, fans and critics keep their fingers crossed for more grapple-filled drives across the dystopian wasteland.
