There are just as many compelling reasons not to hold your breath for a follow-up to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road as there are reasons to believe it has to happen, just has to! When stacked against each other, these reasons achieve a perfect, and frustrating, balance: the film may have been critically adored and appreciated by the Academy, but it only managed to earn a somewhat disappointing $378 million globally. (A number with plenty of zeroes, sure, but not enough to earn George Miller‘s mile-a-minute dystopian fantasy a place amongst that year’s top 20 blockbusters.) Miller has also stated, in no ambiguous terms, that he’s simply not interested in helming any more thorny Mad Max movies. Despite all this, an Australian newspaper is reporting a new installment in the franchise is already in pre-production.
The Herald Sun‘s report includes several noteworthy details concerning the project, namely that it will be a prequel that shifts its focus from the titular character onto venerable badass Furiosa‘s backstory. It also claims Charlize Theron will be returning to the Citadel to reprise the role. But it’s the alleged return of Miller to the director’s seat that casts perhaps the most doubt as to the news’ legitimacy, since he’s expressed the desire to “clear his exhaust” before spending another 18 months with sand hidden in every crevice.
Shooting for the untitled prequel “could start as soon as later this year,” the report reads, seemingly unaware of the countless, hopelessly conflicted fans hanging on every “could.”
(Via IndieWire)
