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George Miller’sMad Max: Fury Roadspent so much time in development that its previous star, Mel Gibson, seemingly got too old for the action role. Gibson was replaced by Tom Hardy in the 2015 film, which went on to become one of the greatest action films of all time. Fans always wondered whether the OG Max Rockatansky would meet with the new one in any of the future installments. Miller confirmed that it wouldn’t happen and had a perfectly valid reason for it.
Mad Max: Fury Roadwas released in 2015 and the critically acclaimed film is yet to receive a sequel after nearly a decade. Miller has moved on to focus on the prequel film,Furiosa, where Anya Taylor-Joy will play the younger version of Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa from the 2015 film.
George Miller Confirms Mel Gibson Will Not Return To HisMad MaxRole Even In a Cameo
George Miller‘s plans for a fourthMad Maxfilm began in 1987. However, it took years to bring his vision for ‘a continuous chase’ film to the screen. The film was indefinitely postponed after the September 11 attacks crashed the economy and affected its budget (via Time Out). By 2006, Miller confirmed that he could no longer shoot the film withMel Gibsonin the lead, as the actor was focused on his own movies and got too old for the intense action film.
“I won’t give away too much”: George Miller Might Have Hinted Tom Hardy’s Return in Furiosa That Can Bring Charlize Theron Back to the Desert
Tom Hardyentered negotiations for the film in October 2009 and confirmed his casting during his appearance onFriday Night with Jonathan Rossin June 2010. Hardy actually signed a multi-picture deal for theMad Maxfranchise. When Miller was asked during a 2015 interview about the possibility of bringing back Gibson, he explained why it was not a possibility.
Speaking to Deadline, Miller shared that Gibson was still Max formany people who grew up seeing the originalMad Maxfilms. If Gibson were introduced alongside Hardy in the franchise, it would distract the audience from the current film. However, Miller admitted that Gibson and Hardy would have been a fun collaboration to watch. Miller explained with aJames Bondanalogy toDeadline:
“If Mel, who is Max in a lot of people’s memories, appeared in the next movie, it would pull audiences out of the movie for a bit, and we worked so hard to keep people immersed in the movie as much as possible. It would be like, I don’t know, seeing Roger Moore appearing in a Daniel Craig James Bond movie. It would be fun, but it would also pull you out of the experience of the movie.”
While Miller is right in what he said about the audience’s involvement, many films have since employed this nostalgia tactic of bringing back characters from their older movies.
Miller can take a lesson or two from Marvel who brought backHugh Jackman‘s Logan in their upcoming film,Deadpool & Wolverine. However, it also depends on Mel Gibson’s commitment to return to hisMad Maxrole.
George Miller’sFuriosaComes Out Next Month While The SequelWastelandHas No Updates
In his interview with Deadline, Miller confirmed that during the process of writing theFury Roadscript, he had roughly developed the script for anotherMad Maxfilm titledWasteland. The film later went into production hiatus after Miller filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. over a disputed $7 million bonus (via The Sydney Morning Herald). In 2019, he confirmedthree films in the franchisewere being considered, includingFuriosaandWasteland.
“All of that led to Anya being in Furiosa”: Anya Taylor-Joy’s Mad Max Casting Has 1 Incredible Similarity With Charlize Theron That Impressed George Miller
WhileWastelandawaits an update,Miller shifted his focus to the prequel projectFuriosa. He castAnya Taylor-Joyin the lead role after she nailed the lines from the 1976 film,Network. The filming took place in 2022 and the film is set for a world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on August 10, 2025.
Furiosawill hit theaters in the United States on June 07, 2025.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
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George MillerMel GibsonTom Hardy
