As far as iconic franchises go, George Miller’s Mad Max films are right up there among Hollywood’s favorite film series. Similar to his namesake George Lucas and his brainchild Star Wars, Miller created the dystopian action series back in 1979 with Mel Gibson, which was followed by three successful sequels in the 80s.
The franchise returned with a bang in 2015 with Mad Max: Fury Road starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. Now, the Lorenzo’s Oil director has roped in one of Hollywood’s big draws Anya Taylor-Joy along with Chris Hemsworth for the upcoming Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Interestingly, this film has been in the making for many years , and was almost developed into an anime feature.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Was Envisioned Ages Ago
The 5th installment in the cult Mad Max series created and directed by George Miller will release on May 24th 2024, and is already expected to bring in huge collections at the box office. The post- apocalyptic action thriller will see one of Hollywood’s most popular stars Anya Taylor-Joy in the titular role sharing screen space with superstar Marvel alum Chris Hemsworth.
An unknown fact about the prequel to the iconic franchise is the fact that the story was envisioned by Miller many years ago as revealed by producer Doug Mitchell in an interview with Total Film Magazine which featured exclusive details about the movie.
“So Furiosa was ready, in a story sense, 15 years ago And it’s been percolating, the way things do in George’s brain, ever since. We had finished the script of Furiosa before we shot Fury Road,”
An even more interesting trivia about the film is that it was initially looked to be developed into an anime short film titled The Peach. The project was to have been helmed by veteran Mahiro Maeda who is famously known for his association with Studio Ghibli in directing many cult anime films like Porco Rosso and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
While this ambitious idea did not materialize for reasons that are unclear, Miller’s vision for the story continued to develop over the years and finally resulted in his decision to create the upcoming installment with Joy and Hemsworth.
Why Anya Taylor-Joy Was The Perfect Furiosa According To George Miller
Anya Taylor-Joy has a very unique aura that has made her stand out as an actor in Hollywood. With powerful performances in diverse roles like The Queen’s Gambit, Split, and The Menu, the talented star has proved that she is much more than a just pretty face. After her cameo in Dune 2, the celebrity will be seen playing the central lead in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
George Miller who is the pioneering genius behind all the films starting from the 70s, first saw Joy’s talent in a clip from her 2021 film Last Night In Soho directed by friend and colleague Edgar Wright. A few moments from the scene immediately convinced the Australian filmmaker that The Queen’s Gambit star would be the perfect choice to play the lead character.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter during an appearance in Las Vegas, Miller further elaborated on Joy’s casting and pointed out the defining characteristics of her personality that made her stand out as an artist.
“There’s something mystical about her, and yet, there’s an accessibility. I learned that she was somebody who is very, very disciplined, even though she’s very young”.
Miller also spoke of Joy’s other skill as a trained ballet dancer which enabled her to understand the physical and emotional discipline involved in any art from that ultimately worked wonders for her to get into character. She shared this similarity with Charlize Theron who was also a ballet dancer.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will release in theaters on May 24th, 2024.
