“I haven’t even thought about that”: George Miller Dismisses One Mel Gibson Mad Max Theory That Could Jeopardize the Franchise

Speculations swirled about Mel Gibson’s return to the Mad Max saga, particularly with rumors suggesting Furiosa might entice his comeback, but these hopes were dashed soon after the audience saw the movie.

Despite Mad Max: Fury Road revitalizing the franchise, Gibson wasn’t tapped to reprise his role as Max Rockatansky, instead, Tom Hardy took the reins, while Charlize Theron played Imperator Furiosa.

Recently, franchise creator George Miller addressed the lingering question of whether Gibson will ever return, offering clarity on the actor’s potential involvement in the future.

Will Mel Gibson Ever Return to Mad Max?

While promoting the film Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller addressed the possibility of Mel Gibson’s return as an older version of his character in a Mad Max movie.

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Miller clarified in an interview with Jake’s Takes that he lacks a storyline featuring an older character, leaving no space for Gibson’s reprisal. He said,

Bringing Gibson back as Max would play into the ongoing Hollywood nostalgia trope, but the Mad Max franchise has done an excellent job moving away from that. There’s no story that I have that has an older Max […] I don’t know what happens to Max when he gets into his 60s. I haven’t even thought about that.

Furthermore, Miller confessed he hadn’t given much thought to Max’s aging and how his story would progress as time progresses in the movie landscape, preferring to delve into characters emerging decades after society’s collapse. With his clear dismissal of Gibson’s return, Miller essentially signaled the end of Max Rockatansky’s era in the Mad Max franchise, paving the way for a fresh narrative direction.

Furiosa Marks the Biggest Box Office Disappointment of 2024 So Far

Despite receiving outstanding reviews from critics, the box office results for the film have been somewhat surprising. As noted by The Wrap, Furiosa had a disappointing $32 million opening weekend, marking the lowest No. 1 total for a Memorial Day Weekend since 1995 when Casper led with $22 million.

Adding to the disappointment, reports also indicate it suffered the worst second-week drop of any Mad Max installment, plummeting by a staggering 59%. Despite the acclaim for its predecessor, Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa may be struggling with unrealistic expectations. While Fury Road didn’t initially perform exceptionally at the box office, it eventually secured $380 million worldwide after a modest $42.4 million domestic opening in 2015.

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While it’s difficult to predict the final box office figures, the film’s overseas earnings have reached $64.7 million, contributing to a global total of $114.4 million. Despite this, with a budget of $168 million, the film is currently deemed a colossal flop.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is in theaters now.