George Miller Provides Update on the Future of the ‘Mad Max’ Franchise

George Miller, the mastermind behind the wild and gritty ‘Mad Max’ world, recently shared some exciting news about where the franchise might be headed. At 79, he’s still brimming with ideas and isn’t ready to leave the dusty Wasteland behind just yet.

Miller let slip that he’s already got a script ready for another Mad Max adventure. This isn’t some vague dream either—he’s written it out, with detailed notes and a solid plan. The story focuses on Max Rockatansky, the lone wanderer we’ve followed through apocalyptic chaos since 1979. This time, it’s set in the year before ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ giving us a peek at what Max was up to before he teamed up with Furiosa. That 2015 film, starring Tom Hardy as Max, blew us away with its non-stop action and won six Oscars, so the bar’s pretty high.

But don’t get your engines revving too fast. Miller isn’t jumping straight into this one. He’s got two other projects he wants to tackle first, though he didn’t spill the beans on what they are. He’s a busy guy, always juggling stories in his head, and he’s made it clear this Mad Max tale isn’t next in line. Still, he’s keeping the door open, saying it could happen if everything falls into place. Knowing how long it took to get ‘Fury Road’ and ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ on screen—decades, in some cases—we might need a bit of patience.

Speaking of ‘Furiosa,’ that prequel hit theaters in 2024 with Anya Taylor-Joy stepping into the role Charlize Theron made iconic. It told the backstory of the fierce warrior over a 15-year span, packed with jaw-dropping stunts and a clash between warlords, including Chris Hemsworth as the brutal Dementus. Critics loved it, giving it a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it didn’t rake in the cash, pulling just $174 million against a $168 million budget. That’s a stark contrast to ‘Fury Road,’ which made nearly $380 million. The box office stumble has left some wondering if studios will greenlight another round in the Wasteland.

Miller’s not fazed, though. He’s got more up his sleeve than just Max’s pre-‘Fury Road’ days. He’s hinted at a possible story after ‘Fury Road,’ where Furiosa runs the Citadel. That could bring Theron back, which would thrill a lot of us who loved her take-no-prisoners vibe. Back when they made ‘Fury Road,’ Miller and his team mapped out backstories for everyone—even the wild guitar guy, the Doof Warrior—so there’s plenty of material to play with.

The ‘Mad Max’ journey started way back with Mel Gibson in the driver’s seat. The first film, shot on a tiny budget in Australia, kicked off a trilogy that wrapped up with ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ in 1985. Then, after a 30-year break, Hardy took over for ‘Fury Road,’ and now Taylor-Joy’s joined the ride. Miller’s knack for blending insane car chases with deep character moments keeps us hooked, even if the gaps between movies are long.

So, where does this leave us? Miller’s got the ideas and the passion, but it’s all about timing. Warner Bros., the studio behind the franchise, might be cautious after ‘Furiosa’ didn’t deliver big returns. Still, with a script for ‘Mad Max: The Wasteland’ ready and Miller’s track record, I wouldn’t bet against seeing Max roar back someday. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see if the stars—or the planets, as he put it—align.