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 two successful sequels in the 80s.
After returning with 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, the director roped in one of Hollywood’s big draws Anya Taylor-Joy along with fellow Australian Chris Hemsworth for the highly anticipated 2024 prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Hemsworth in a recent appearance, expressed his admiration towards Miller for putting their country front and center through this blockbuster franchise.
Why Chris Hemsworth Believes That George Miller Is His Country’s Pride
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga directed by George Miller will be released 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.
The Avengers star who will portray the role of the intimidating antagonist Warlord Dementus, was the latest actor to be inducted into the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Ahead of the ceremony that took place on May 23rd, Hemsworth spoke about his upcoming collaboration with his fellow Australian colleague and director, Miller.
In a statement to Variety, the Thor actor had high words of praise for the iconic director and called him a legend. He believed that through the Mad Max franchise, Miller had succeeded in not only creating a unique niche for himself, but had also given Australia an identity in Hollywood through his efforts. Comparing his work with blockbuster franchises from other nations, he said,
Someone once said that the Brits have Harry Potter, the Americans have Star Wars and we have Mad Max. And it’s a true statement. There’s a great amount of pride and appreciation around what George has built.
Hemsworth also added that this quintessential Australian franchise gave people the opportunity to appreciate cinema outside of America and the UK while also allowing them to soak in the nuances of a different accent.
Chris Hemsworth Stunned Director With His Vast Acting Range
Australian filmmaker George Miller’s $529 million Mad Max film series (via The Numbers), is up there with Hollywood’s biggest franchises in terms of box office collection and audience appeal. The director’s 5th film in the series starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth which is all set to release, comes with very high expectations.
Apart from the extremely talented Joy, all eyes are on Hemsworth who plays a chilling and unhinged villain in a role that looks to be vastly different from his Marvel gig. While both celebrities have got fans extremely excited about their pairing in the film, Miller revealed that choosing Hemsworth for this role was initially not on the agenda.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the director confessed that despite knowing the Marvel star personally, he did not envision him for the part, but was pleasantly surprised to have been proved wrong after witnessing his prowess.
I knew the character but I never thought of Chris until we met and we talked, and I realized he was somebody with a lot more dimensions to him that I had initially thought. I mean, for me, he is, as they say in Australia, the complete article. He’s somebody who in every way is exemplary. He responded very well to the material.
The initial teasers, images, and trailer featuring the two stars have added to the immense hype of the film which looks to be well on its way to creating box office history while also cementing Miller’s place as a bonafide franchise king.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will be released in theaters on May 24th, 2024.
