Mad Max: Fury Road director and writer, George Miller, remains confident that multiple sequels will happen eventually. The Mad Max franchise began back in 1979, with Mel Gibson taking on the title role. Set within a post-apocalyptic Australian landscape, the original Mad Max received widespread acclaim, particularly for its action and visuals, and two sequels followed in the 1980s. After an extended hiatus, Miller revived the franchise with Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Tom Hardy in Gibson's former role and Charlize Theron as Furiosa. Many fans consider this modern fourth entry as the pinnacle of the Mad Max series, and one of the greatest action films of all time.
Despite the considerable critical and commercial success Mad Max: Fury Road enjoyed, a sequel has yet to be officially announced, despite the possibility being raised almost immediately after the film's 2015 release. Miller himself confirmed that a script for a Furiosa spinoff had already been completed and also revealed plans for two further Mad Max stories starring Tom Hardy, who had signed a 4 film deal. The working title for one of these potential sequels was confirmed to be Mad Max: The Wasteland but despite seemingly having all the pieces in place to begin development on a follow-up, legal issues with Warner Bros. have delayed the process.
In an interview with IndieWire, George Miller confirmed that his immediate priority was Three Thousand Years of Longing, but also reaffirmed that he was confident Mad Max: Fury Road sequels were on their way and suggested the legal wrangling with Warner Bros. could be drawing to an imminent close. The visionary filmmaker stated:
"There are two stories, both involving Mad Max, and also a Furiosa story. We’re still solving, we’ve got to play out the Warners thing, it seems to be pretty clear that it’s going to happen. It all started because of the chaos at Warner Bros. and not Kevin Tsujihara, it was pre all that... It was hard to get anyone’s attention, so we went to litigation. The chaos has stabilized and it’s become extremely positive as the dust seems to have settled after [the AT&T merger]."
The exact nature of Mad Max's cinematic future has been somewhat unclear in recent years, but Miller unequivocally reveals here that two Mad Max stories are in the pipeline, as well as the Furiosa spinoff. Miller's public desire to continue the Mad Max story has never wavered, but fans will no doubt be reassured that the extended delay and legal issues haven't deterred the director from pursuing further films. The news that Miller's relationship with Warner Bros. has mended somewhat since the AT&T merger is also a positive sign that some solid confirmation regarding the next Mad Max movie isn't too far away.
While the millions who were thrilled by Mad Max: Fury Road's ambition and scale may be awaiting a sequel with bated breath, Miller himself is likely to be far more relaxed about the situation. It's worth remembering that Mad Max: Fury Road spent years in development hell, facing constant delays that forced the filmmaker to consider making his script into a CG-animated affair after previously utilizing the technology on the equally as visceral and action-packed Happy Feet.
By comparison, the 4-year gap since Mad Max: Fury Road looks rather minor and with Warner Bros. now in the later stages of its post-takeover restructuring, Tom Hardy could be returning to the Australian wasteland sooner rather than later.
Source: IndieWire