With Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller proved that you can still breathe new life into a relatively stale franchise. The film achieved incredible success in 2015 and has been a regular appearance on best-off lists ever since. However, Miller, who is a perpetually inquisitive director, has not been still since. 

After his rather mixed film, One Thousand Years of Longing, which attempted to replace narrative purpose with visual splendour, he has turned back to the Mad Max universe, this time moving away from his original character and towards the 2nd lead of Fury Road, Imperator Furiosa in a prequel. 

Anya Taylor-Joy takes on the role of the younger Imperator Furiosa, a character previously portrayed by Charlize Theron in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The story is expected to delve into Furiosa’s formative years, shedding light on her past and setting the stage for the events of “Fury Road.” Joining Taylor-Joy is Chris Hemsworth in the role of Warlord Dementus.

Shot in the New South Wales towns of Hay and Silverton, Australia, “Furiosa” represents the most expensive film production in Australia’s history, with a total expenditure of US$233 million. Principal photography for the film began on June 1, 2022, and wrapped up on November 3, 2022, following a series of pre-production and second-unit filming that commenced in May 2022.

“Furiosa” is set for a grand release, with its theatrical debut scheduled for May 23, 2024, in Australia and May 24, 2024, in the United States. The film was initially slated for a June 2023 release but was later rescheduled. There’s also excitement building around the possibility of the film premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, although this is yet to be confirmed. 

Given George Miller’s track record with the Mad Max franchise and his skill at creating visually resplendent gripping movies, it’s hard not to get excited about the film, even if, on the surface, it might appear like just another spin-off or sequel. With MIller behind the reason, there’s no reason to see this as anything like a money grab. This will be one of 2024’s biggest summer movies.

Check out the trailer.

Release Date: May 23, 2024

Will It Be Any Good?

Ummm. Yes? Mad Max: Fury Road was a near-perfect film, so why wouldn’t you want to see its follow-up? Even if sequels/prequels aren’t your thing, almost all of the Mad Max films are worth watching – yes, even Beyond the Thunderdome, even if just to enjoy the atmosphere.

A Thousand Years of Longing might not have been Miller’s best effort, but it showed that even deep into his seventies, he still has the power to create incredibly gorgeous images, backed with a strong cast and crew. It’s hard not to get excited for this one. If it’s anything less than excellent, it will be a letdown. 

Will It Be Worth Watching? Yes