Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron, is a tough war captain who rebels against the tyrant Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) to rescue his female captives alongside Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy). She made her screen debut in the fourth episode of George Miller’s critically acclaimed franchise, which began in 1979 with Mel Gibson in the lead role.
While the Oscar-winning film revealed part of Furiosa’s past, including her memories of the “Green Place” — a beautiful setting from her youth that precedes the current post-apocalyptic wasteland — her self-titled film will go into further detail. Anya Taylor-Joy will take over the main role in “Furiosa,” a prequel to “Fury Road” that will follow the ferocious heroine before to her captaining days.
Many of the creative minds behind “Fury Road,” including cinematographer John Seale, editor Margaret Sixel (who is married to Miller), and production designer Colin Gibson, as well as a majority of the Academy Award-winning crafts team, are reuniting for “Furiosa.”
TheWrap breaks down all we know about the film, including the cast, release date, and the battle to have it created in the first place, in the video below.
Cast of “Furiosa”
The cast also includes Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke (“Mank”), who replaced Yahya Abdul-Mateen II when he pulled out due to schedule difficulties. In addition, Nathan Jones, who played Rictus Erectus, Immortan Joe’s youngest son in “Fury Road,” will reprise his role. Jodie Comer and Richard Madden were considered for the major parts at one point. According to reports, the film will also include a younger Immortan Joe, the identity of whom has yet to be revealed.
Fun fact: Miller considered using CG de-aging technology to allow Theron to repeat her role in “Furiosa” in a naturalistic manner. He eventually decided against it, claiming that VFX technology is still in its infancy.
Miller told the New York Times, “For the longest time, I believed we could just apply CG de-aging on Charlize, but I don’t think we’re nearly there yet.” “I believe there is still an uncanny valley, despite the great efforts on ‘The Irishman.'” Everyone is on the verge of addressing it, particularly Japanese video game designers, but I believe there is still a significant gap.”
Film releasing date
The release date for “Furiosa” was pushed back about a year in September, with a new date of May 24, 2024. Delays are likely owing to the pandemic, as Hemsworth’s Netflix feature “Extraction 2” was pulled from Australia — which was on lockdown due to mounting infections — in order to stay on schedule.
Filming for “Furiosa” was supposed to start in early 2022, but no additional information has been released. Miller also planned to start shooting the film after finishing his forthcoming epic romance feature “Three Thousand Years of Longing,” which stars Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba and is set to hit theaters on Aug. 31.
The film’s massive scope — which will span several years of Furiosa’s life — is also likely to have influenced the timing. “Furiosa” would be Australia’s biggest film ever, according to former New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, producing 350 million Australian dollars for the local economy.
How long has the movie been in development?
It took a long time — almost as long as it did to make “Fury Road.” While the oral history book “Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road” chronicles the arduous process of bringing Miller’s 2015 film to the big screen, the short of it is that the project languished in development hell for years, taking more than a decade and a half to complete due to issues like Gibson’s controversies (while he was still playing the lead role) and the Iraq War.
During this period, Miller and co-writer Nick Lathouris developed detailed backstories for all of the characters in “Fury Road,” focusing mostly on Furiosa’s history – her rise to power and her time with the Vuvalini, a female warrior group. While they created Furiosa’s past mainly for Theron’s benefit, they felt her story to be interesting enough to turn into a separate script that was written before “Fury Road” was released. Miller’s legal battle with Warner Bros. over unpaid “Fury Road” earnings, which was finally settled, made it appear for years that “Furiosa” would never be made.
Is it necessary for me to see all of the “Mad Max” movies in order to comprehend “Furiosa”?
Both yes and no. “Mad Max: Fury Road” is more of a reboot than a true sequel to the franchise (which had previously included the 1979 film “Mad Max,” 1981’s “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior,” and 1985’s “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” all starring Gibson). Miller refers to “Fury Road” as a “revisiting,” noting that it is neither a revival nor a sequel. Given that “Furiosa” is unmistakably a prequel to “Fury Road,” you should at the very least see that film to get a sense of what makes Furiosa such a fearsome warrior.
With that said, I’m sure Miller wouldn’t mind if you had a watching party for his first three films as well, and it’s definitely a good idea if you want to brush up on your “Mad Max” knowledge.
What can I anticipate from the film?
We’re sorry to disappoint if you were hoping for another adrenaline-pumping, high-stakes chase drama like “Fury Road.” Expect more of a typical drama with three acts, as “Furiosa” is more of a character study than an epic battle across a burnt amber-colored wasteland. Rest certain, the picture will be set in the bleak, dystopian setting that fans have come to expect from the “Mad Max” series.
Will Taylor-Joy, like Theron, have a shorn head for “Furiosa”?
Unclear. According to costume designer Jenny Beavan, she wants to, but Miller isn’t interested. The actress, for her part, has remained silent on the subject. To see if Taylor-Joy goes all Eleven, we’ll have to wait for first peek photographs.
“Mad Max: The Wasteland”
Yes, a “Mad Max 5” sequel is in the works! The picture, which Hardy signed on to before the prequel’s release, is billed as a direct “Fury Road” spin-off, although no release date has been set. It has yet to go into production, and its development status is uncertain. Given that “Furiosa” won’t be released until 2024, it’s safe to presume that this one will follow suit. However, if everything goes according to plan, fans will not have to wait decades.
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