Charlize Theron compares life today in the middle of a global pandemic to Mad Max: Fury Road. The 2015 film rebooted George Miller's post-apocalyptic franchise in awe-inspiring fashion. Even now, five years after its release, Fury Road is still largely considered one of the best action films of the past decade, with many citing its practical effects and character development as highlights. Theron played Furiosa, a battle-hardened warrior who saves a group of sister wives from the tyrannical Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Furiosa is often regarded as one of the best action heroines of all time, with Theron even recently saying she's one of the most important roles she's ever played.
Life in 2020 has gone in a very different direction than many anticipated, as the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted just about everything. When it comes to the entertainment industry, it is quite clear that Hollywood won't be the same once the dust has settled. The majority of movie theaters have been closed for months now, and the yearly box office has dropped a drastic amount because countless films have been delayed. Additionally, ongoing productions have suffered setbacks of their own, leaving a great deal of uncertainty behind as people wonder when things will return to some semblance of normal.
This past weekend, Theron held a charity drive-in screening of Fury Road in honor of her Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project. Due to COVID restrictions, guests had to remain in their cars and wear masks, and Theron couldn't help but draw a few similarities between Fury Road and the current global situation (via THR):
"We’re basically dressed like Tom Hardy in the film," Theron said. "We’re wearing muzzles to protect ourselves. I always felt like this story was a cautionary tale. It feels so imminent. The story of the search for community and belonging and finding your tribe really resonated with me. We need to do better. We need to take care of each other."
Theron isn't wrong, and many have noted how ongoing events feel like something straight out of a movie. However, it's also important to keep the second part of Theron's message in mind, how people should rely on others during this time to make it through. Fury Road holds a message of hope underneath its barren wasteland, and audiences should hold that close.
Miller's follow-up to Fury Road has been in the works for some time now, but only in recent months have new updates finally begun to emerge. It's clear that the next film in the Mad Max franchise will be a Furiosa prequel, though Theron will sadly not return to the character she originated. Instead, a younger actress will likely be cast in the role, with names like Anya Taylor-Joy and Jodie Comer floating around. The prequel was meant to shoot next year, but it isn't clear if it will actually make that time frame because of the pandemic. Still, there's definitely a hunger for more stories set in the Fury Road world, even if it does have some eerie similarities with our own.
Source: THR