This article is part of Greenlight — The Latch’s commitment to the Australian film industry. For more content in this series, click here.
Cameras are officially rolling on Furiosa, the long awaited Mad Max: Fury Road prequel film starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.
George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road was released back in 2015, to great critical acclaim. The film eventually went on to receive a whopping 10 Oscar nominations, of which it won six, and is regarded as one of the best action films of all time.
It was a long road to get to Fury Road, however. As chronicled in Kyle Buchanan’s oral history of the film, Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road, the film was plagued with production delays, cast clashes, and contained some of the most dangerous stunts ever committed to film.
Perhaps director Steven Soderbergh said it best: “I don’t understand how they’re not still shooting that film, and I don’t understand how hundreds of people aren’t dead.”
Now, Miller is back, and cameras are rolling on the fifth Mad Max film, Furiosa. The film is a prequel to Fury Road, and will chart Furiosa’s journey to becoming the warrior we meet in Fury Road.
Here’s everything we know so far about the film, which is slated for release in 2024.
Who Is Directing Furiosa?
It’s good news for Mad Max fans, because George Miller is indeed returning to direct Furiosa. Furiosa will mark Miller’s fifth Mad Max film since the original hit theatres in 1979.
Aside from the Mad Max franchise, Miller is best known for directing The Witches of Eastwick, as well as the Happy Feet films.
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Who Is Writing Furiosa?
Aside from directing the film, George Miller is also co-writing the script for Furiosa, alongside Nick Lathouris. Lathouris also co-wrote Mad Max: Fury Road with Miller and Brendan McCarthy.
Who Is Starring in Furiosa?
It’s still early days for Furiosa, so the complete cast has yet to be announced, but already the film has announced some of the biggest A-list names in the game currently.
As the film is a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, Oscar winner Charlize Theron will not be reprising her role as Imperator Furiosa. Rather, Anya Taylor-Joy will take on the role of Furiosa.
Joining her will be Australia’s very own, the one and only Chris Hemsworth, although there’s not much information about his character just yet. Based on the plot description below, however, it’s looking possible that Hemsworth could be playing the film’s big villain, the Warlord Dementus.
Also appearing in Furiosa will be Quaden Bayles, an Indigenous boy who went viral in 2020 after being bullied for his dwarfism.
Now 11, Bayles has landed a small role in Furiosa, which will mark his second big screen performance, after a successful turn in Miller’s film Three Thousand Years of Longing, which stars Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba.
“It was good for us and it was good for him,” Miller told the Sydney Morning Herald of Bayles’ role in Three Thousand Years of Longing. “And he did such a good job that he’s got a small role in Furiosa.”
Also listed in the cast are:
- Angus Sampson
- Nathan Jones as Rictus Erectus
- Tom Burke
- Goran D. Kleut
What Is Furiosa About?
Furiosa‘s official plot synopsis is as follows:
“As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.”
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Where Does Furiosa Fit Into the Mad Max Universe?
As we know, Furiosa is a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, and the synopsis reveals that we’ll be going back to the Green Place that we were introduced to in all its post-apocalyptic glory in Fury Road. The difference here will be that in Furiosa, the Green Place is still green.
Aside from Dementus, who will be the film’s lead villain, Furiosa will also mark the return of Immortan Joe. The two will clash, and in the process, Furiosa will evolve into the great warrior that Theron depicts in Mad Max: Fury Road.
Where Is Furiosa Being Filmed?
Furiosa is currently being filmed in New South Wales, Australia.
In April 2021, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced in a statement that Mad Max Furiosa is expected to become the biggest film ever made in Australia.
“This is great news for NSW – Furiosa is expected to support more than 850 local jobs and bring in around $350 million into the NSW economy,” she said.
“NSW will be home to this major production providing a boost to the economy across the state with filming to take place in a number of locations including in Western Sydney and regional NSW.”
Is There a Trailer for Furiosa?
Not yet, eager beavers! Cameras have only just begun rolling on Furiosa, so it’ll be awhile before we have a trailer to watch, unfortunately. But, stay tuned, because as soon as it’s available, we’ll have it here for you.
When Will Furiosa Be Released in Australia?
Although it’s still early days and could therefore be subject to change, Furiosa is currently slated for release on 24 May 2024, so, not for awhile yet! Still, it’s always nice to have something to look forward to, right?
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