Furiosa, the Mad Max: Fury Road prequel centered around Charlize Theron's now iconic hero, will begin filming this June. Fury Road brought back its titular character for a new generation in 2015, with Tom Hardy taking over the role from Mel Gibson. The film was praised as one of the greatest action films of all-time and went on to snag a nomination for Best Picture amidst ten total nominations at the ceremony.
Hardy may have been playing Fury Road's main character, but it was Theron who stole the show as Furiosa, a battle-hardened Imperator for Immortan Joe and his army of War Boys. A prequel film based on her character was immediately teased by director George Miller and the cast began taking shape last year. Anya Taylor-Joy, hot off an award winning streak for her role in The Queen's Gambit, will take on the role Theron originated, with Chris Hemsworth and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II starring alongside her.
With a current release date for 2023, Furiosa is getting ready to go into production. According to TV Black Box, the film will begin production this June in New South Wales. Furiosa is expected to become the biggest film ever shot in Australia.
In addition to Furiosa, Miller reportedly has several scripts ready for direct sequels to Fury Road, one centered around Max and one around Furiosa. Miller's dispute with studio Warner Bros. seemed to call into question the future of the franchise, but those differences have been seemingly settled. With Furiosa in advanced development, the film is being fast-tracked for its 2023 release and although a 2021 shooting date may seem a bit premature, it's a safe bet to ensure the film arrives on time. Mad Max: Fury Road had a notoriously arduous shoot in the Namibian desert, with stars Theron and Hardy having a contentious relationship during filming.
Fury Road began filming in 2012, roughly three years before its release date in 2015. Production starting so early on Furiousa clearly shows Warner Bros.' desire to get this film right and in theaters on time, likely in an effort to capitalize on Taylor-Joy and Mateen II's burgeoning star power after their successful past few years. Theron has expressed sadness that she won't be returning as the character in the prequel film, but given the success of the original and the potential for the prequel, it's not out of the realm of possibility to see her return to the role in a future installment. Furiosa seems to be another new beginning for the Mad Max franchise and fans can't wait to see it.
Source: TV Black Box
