Warner Bros. brought out the big guns on stage in the second night ofCinemaConwith previews of their upcoming slate, including the return of theMad Maxfranchise with the prequelFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga. Series mastermindGeorge Millerwas in attendance at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas alongside starsAnya Taylor-JoyandChris Hemsworthfor a panel to discuss the hotly-anticipated post-apocalyptic spinoff andshare an extended previewahead of its May 24 release in theaters. During their discussion, however, he teased that there may be more story to tell revolving around Max Rockatansky before the release ofMad Max: Fury Road.
When asked about how Imperator Furiosa came to have a spinoff, Miller revealed that he had penned two stories during the production delays ofFury Roadto flesh out its world and help the crew convey its history on-screen. One of those tales was the script forFuriosawhich, of course,tells her backstoryof being taken by the Biker Horde and the cruel warlord Dementus (Hemsworth) and fighting through the hardships of the Wasteland in the middle of a power struggle between Dementus and the Immortan Joe (Tom Burke). It was crafted to show howFuriosa was hardened into the moral leaderseen inFury Roadduring her journey home well before meeting Max. The other story, however, was a novella following Max taking place a year before the 2015 film.
Although he didn’t delve into the details of what the novella contained, he explained his mindset behind crafting such intricate backstories for a film that, ultimately, spans very little time relative to everything else the characters have been through. He also teased how the success ofFury Roadpaved the way forFuriosaandcould potentially lead to another story coming to the big screen:
“In order to tell the story ofFury Road, which happens over a short period of time, three days and two nights, [we had] a lot of exposition to get through. We had to understand everything about what we see on the screen. Not only the backstory of every character, but every prop, every vehicle, every gesture. We wrote the story of Furiosa in the 15 or 16 years of her life before we meet her inFury Road. We wrote a story about Max in the year before he got there, and so much else who the Immortan Joe was and so on. One was a screenplay,Furiosa, and the other was a novella. We did it just for the actors and particularly the crew, so they could understand where they’re coming from. So, when [Fury Road] worked, my thought was, gee, this is a rich story to tell.”
If anotherFury Roadprequel does indeed happen, there are plenty of directions Miller and company could go. Max’sjourney in the post-apocalyptic epicto defy Joe sees him haunted by the ghosts of those he failed to save, backstories for which are explored in comics and the 2015 video game. Another film could explore similar ground or chronicle how the series’s titular survivor crossed paths with the Immortan Joe. In the meantime, the focus is onFuriosawhich also featuresNathan Jones,Angus Sampson,John Howard, andCharlee Fraseramong its cast.
Furiosais set toopen the 2024 Cannes Film Festivalbefore arriving in theaters on May 24. Check outour guide herefor everything to know heading into the prequel film and stay tuned at Collider for more from CinemaCon.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and team-up with Mad Max.
