MOVIE NEWS – Many aspects of Furiosa’s story are still shrouded in mystery, but one thing is sure: it will reveal a bitter truth about the Mad Max franchise.

If all goes well for Anya Taylor-Joy’s Furiosa, it could reveal a grim truth about the Mad Max franchise. As the film’s title suggests, Furiosa will hark back to the origins of Charlize Theron’s Emperor Furiosa. It further establishes the motivations and actions that will appear in Mad Max: Fury Road. As the film is set to premiere on May 24, 2024, filming has already wrapped, and the primary cast has been confirmed.

As with Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa will be directed by George Miller, who will co-write and produce the film with Doug Mitchell.

As this is a prequel, the main cast of Mad Max: Fury Road will not be returning. Instead, Anya Taylor-Joy will be introduced as a younger version of Charlize Theron’s character. Chris Hemsworth is making his debut in the franchise. Most other details about the story threads and cast are still murky. But one thing is certain: if the film is a success, it could highlight an essential truth about the Mad Max franchise.

The success of Furiosa would confirm that Mad Max was never really about Max

The success of Furiosa would confirm that while the Mad Max films so far have revolved primarily around the character of Max Rockatansky, the upcoming movies don’t always have to be about him to have a compelling narrative. He will argue that rather than being about a specific character, the Mad Max film series is more of a canvas. In it, stories are woven about a dystopian world where a few surviving humans dare to fight against capitalist oppressors.

By delving into the backstory of one of Mad Max: Fury Road’s secondary protagonists, the Furiosa prequel proves that the franchise is rich enough to be worth exploring beyond the story of Mad Max’s title character.

Furiosa’s success would also mean that its characterisation would resonate with audiences as much as Max’s. It would open the door for the film franchise to not only dive deeper into his story but also focus on other secondary characters. In some ways, Max would remain at the heart of the franchise. Given that the Mad Max film series began with him. Furiosa’s success, however, would prove that George Miller’s decision to expand the franchise’s universe and extend the vision beyond Max’s story can successfully engage audiences.

An expanded Mad Max universe with interconnected character narratives would also gradually increase audience engagement. This, in turn, would potentially attract a broader audience to Mad Max 5 and potential sequels. An episode like Furiosa would keep Max away from the franchise for a while. Audiences’ anticipation for a reappearance of Tom Hardy’s character would also increase if the film could sustain viewer interest. All in all, the future of the Mad Max franchise depends on this movie, as the prequel will determine the direction that the sequels can take.

Source: EW