Mad Max (franchise)
Encyclopedia
The Mad Max franchise refers to a series of futuristic films, taking place in the "Mad Max Universe", that tell a story of breakdown of society
, murder, and vengeance
. The first Mad Max
was an Australian action
film
directed by George Miller
and written by Miller and Byron Kennedy
, released in 1979. It produced two sequels, Mad Max 2, also known as The Road Warrior, in 1981 and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
in 1985. The series has had a lasting influence on apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
ever since.
An animated feature film sequel and video game tie-in are both currently in pre-production, with a predicted release date of 2011 or 2012. In May 2009, it was reported that location scouting
was underway for a new live action filming of Mad Max 4: Fury Road.
Australian
dystopia
n action
film
directed by George Miller
and written by Miller and Byron Kennedy
. It tells a story of breakdown of society
, murder and vengeance
. The film, starring the then-little-known Mel Gibson
, was released internationally in 1980. It became a top-grossing Australian film and has been credited for further opening the global market to Australian New Wave
films.
Australian
post-apocalyptic
action film
directed by George Miller
. This sequel
to Miller's 1979
film Mad Max
was a worldwide box office success that further launched the career of lead actor Mel Gibson
. The film's tale of a community of settlers moved to defend themselves against a roving band of marauders
follows an archetypal "Western
" frontier movie motif, as does Max's role as a hardened man who rediscovers his humanity.
film, the third installment in the action movie Mad Max
franchise. The film was directed by George Miller
and George Ogilvie
, and starred Mel Gibson
and Tina Turner
. The original music score was composed by Maurice Jarre
. George Miller, director of the first two Mad Max movies, lost interest in the project after his friend and producer Byron Kennedy
was killed in a helicopter crash while location scouting
. Miller later agreed to direct the action sequences.
for around 25 years. George Miller announced in 2003 that a script had been written for a fourth film, and that pre-production was in the early stages. Although the project was given the green light for a $100 million USD budget to begin shooting in Australia
in May 2003, Mad Max 4 almost immediately entered hiatus due to security concerns related to trying to film in Namibia
, because the United States
and many other countries have tightened travel and shipping restrictions. With the outbreak of the Iraq War, Mad Max 4 was (at that time) abandoned as what was a potentially politically sensitive film.
In November 2006, George Miller had stated that he still had full intentions to make Fury Road, telling the press that he was considering doing the film without Mel Gibson
, saying, “There's a real hope. The last thing I wanted to do is another Mad Max, but this script came along, and I'm completely carried away with it." The film's screenplay was co-written with cult British comic creator Brendan McCarthy
, who also designed many of the new characters and vehicles.
Miller again confirmed his desire to make another Mad Max at the 2007 Aurora film maker initiative. However, he did say he thought Mel Gibson
would not be interested in the film because he is too old.
animation
feature film
was now in pre-production taking much of the plot from Fury Road, (Mad Max co-creator and director George Miller has already directed an animated feature film - the acclaimed 2006 computer animated
Happy Feet
), although Mel Gibson
will not feature as a voice talent and Miller is looking for a "different route", a "renaissance" of the franchise. Miller cites the famous 1988 Japanese anime sci-fi post-apocalyptic feature film Akira
as an inspiration for what he wants to do with the franchise. George Miller is also developing an action-adventure tie-in
video game based on the fourth film, along with God of War II
video game designer Cory Barlog
. Both projects are expected to take 2 to 2½ years, according to Miller, with a release date in either 2011 or 2012. The upcoming Fury Road film would be produced at Dr.D Studios, a digital art studios founded in 2008 by George Miller and Doug Mitchell.
On 18 May 2009, however, it was reported that location scouting was underway for a new live action filming of "Mad Max 4". Regardless of that decision, during a film conference held on 8 June 2009 Miller has confirmed that an anime film produced by North Star Productions (famous for their Hokuto No Ken
animated films, which are inspired by the Mad Max films) is most likely to happen.
It was announced by George Miller on 24 October 2009, that filming of Fury Road would commence at Broken Hill
in New South Wales
in early 2011, ending years of speculation. This announcement attracted widespread media attention in Australia, with the popular speculation at that time on whether Mel Gibson would return as Max, even though this had previously been considered unlikely.
On 29 October 2009, it was announced that British actor Tom Hardy
was in negotiations to take the lead role of Max, and Charlize Theron
will also play a major role. The plot will be set shortly after the events of Beyond Thunderdome. In June 2010, Hardy announced on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
that he will play the title role in a new version of Mad Max
.
One source reported in July 2010 that Miller would shoot two Mad Max films back-to-back, Mad Max: Fury Road and Mad Max: Furiosa. Despite wide dissemination, no subsequent reports confirmed this in the interim.
In November 2011, filming was moved from Broken Hill, in the New South Wales
outback
, to Namibia
, after unexpected heavy rains turned the desert there into a lush landscape of wildflowers, inappropriate for the look of the movie.
game that is based on the film Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
. The object is to survive life after the end of the world by battling survivalists and collecting valuable food, water, gasoline
, and money
. The game is similar to Outlander
released in 1992 for Sega Genesis and SNES.
Societal collapse
Societal collapse broadly includes both quite abrupt societal failures typified by collapses , as well as more extended gradual declines of superpowers...
, murder, and vengeance
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
. The first Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
was an Australian action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by George Miller
George Miller (producer)
George Miller is an Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and former medical doctor. He is most well known for his work on the Mad Max movies, but has been involved in a wide range of projects, including the Oscar-winning Happy Feet and "Babe" family films.Miller is the older brother...
and written by Miller and Byron Kennedy
Byron Kennedy
Byron Eric Kennedy Born Melbourne was an Australian film producer best known for the Mad Max series of films....
, released in 1979. It produced two sequels, Mad Max 2, also known as The Road Warrior, in 1981 and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, written by Miller, Doug Mitchell and Terry Hayes, and starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. It is the third installment in the action movie Mad Max franchise...
in 1985. The series has had a lasting influence on apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
ever since.
An animated feature film sequel and video game tie-in are both currently in pre-production, with a predicted release date of 2011 or 2012. In May 2009, it was reported that location scouting
Location scouting
Location scouting is a vital process in the pre-production stage of filmmaking and commercial photography. Once scriptwriters, producers or directors have decided what general kind of scenery they require for the various parts of their work that is shot outside of the studio, the search for a...
was underway for a new live action filming of Mad Max 4: Fury Road.
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979Australian films of the 1970s
-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...
Australian
Cinema of Australia
Cinema of Australia, more commonly referred to as the Australian film industry, refers to the system of production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Australia. Film production commenced in Australia in 1906 with the production of The Story of the Kelly Gang, the earliest feature film made...
dystopia
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
n action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by George Miller
George Miller (producer)
George Miller is an Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and former medical doctor. He is most well known for his work on the Mad Max movies, but has been involved in a wide range of projects, including the Oscar-winning Happy Feet and "Babe" family films.Miller is the older brother...
and written by Miller and Byron Kennedy
Byron Kennedy
Byron Eric Kennedy Born Melbourne was an Australian film producer best known for the Mad Max series of films....
. It tells a story of breakdown of society
Societal collapse
Societal collapse broadly includes both quite abrupt societal failures typified by collapses , as well as more extended gradual declines of superpowers...
, murder and vengeance
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
. The film, starring the then-little-known Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
, was released internationally in 1980. It became a top-grossing Australian film and has been credited for further opening the global market to Australian New Wave
Australian New Wave
The Australian New Wave was an era of resurgence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema...
films.
Mad Max 2
Mad Max 2 (also known as The Road Warrior in the U.S., and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior) is a 1981Australian films of the 1980s
A list of films produced in Australia by year during the 1980s, in the List of Australian films.-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...
Australian
Cinema of Australia
Cinema of Australia, more commonly referred to as the Australian film industry, refers to the system of production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Australia. Film production commenced in Australia in 1906 with the production of The Story of the Kelly Gang, the earliest feature film made...
post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
directed by George Miller
George Miller (producer)
George Miller is an Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and former medical doctor. He is most well known for his work on the Mad Max movies, but has been involved in a wide range of projects, including the Oscar-winning Happy Feet and "Babe" family films.Miller is the older brother...
. This sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Miller's 1979
Australian films of the 1970s
-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...
film Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
was a worldwide box office success that further launched the career of lead actor Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
. The film's tale of a community of settlers moved to defend themselves against a roving band of marauders
Marauders
- Entertainment :* Marauders , henchmen in the Marvel Comics universe* Marauders , antagonists in the role-playing game Mage: The Ascension* Midnight Marauders, a 1993 album by rap group A Tribe Called Quest...
follows an archetypal "Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
" frontier movie motif, as does Max's role as a hardened man who rediscovers his humanity.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 19851985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
film, the third installment in the action movie Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
franchise. The film was directed by George Miller
George Miller (producer)
George Miller is an Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and former medical doctor. He is most well known for his work on the Mad Max movies, but has been involved in a wide range of projects, including the Oscar-winning Happy Feet and "Babe" family films.Miller is the older brother...
and George Ogilvie
George Ogilvie
George Ogilvie is an Australian actor and film director. He was born in Goulburn, New South Wales in 1931. He directed Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome with George Miller.He was awarded the A.M...
, and starred Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
and Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
. The original music score was composed by Maurice Jarre
Maurice Jarre
Maurice-Alexis Jarre was a French composer and conductor.Although he composed several concert works, he is best known for his film scores, and is particularly known for his collaborations with film director David Lean. Jarre composed the scores to all of Lean's films since Lawrence of Arabia...
. George Miller, director of the first two Mad Max movies, lost interest in the project after his friend and producer Byron Kennedy
Byron Kennedy
Byron Eric Kennedy Born Melbourne was an Australian film producer best known for the Mad Max series of films....
was killed in a helicopter crash while location scouting
Location scouting
Location scouting is a vital process in the pre-production stage of filmmaking and commercial photography. Once scriptwriters, producers or directors have decided what general kind of scenery they require for the various parts of their work that is shot outside of the studio, the search for a...
. Miller later agreed to direct the action sequences.
Recurring cast
- Mel GibsonMel GibsonMel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
starred as Max RockatanskyMax Rockatansky"Mad" Max Rockatansky, sometimes referred to as The Road Warrior and The Man with No Name, is the main character from director George Miller's Mad Max franchise, appearing in the films Mad Max, Mad Max 2, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome...
in all three films. - Bruce SpenceBruce SpenceBruce Spence, born September 17, 1945 is an actor, having spent most of his career performing in Australia. Bruce attended Henderson High School in West Auckland....
appeared in the latter two films (As The "Gyro Captain" in Mad Max 2 and as "Jedediah the Pilot" in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome). There is some debate as to whether these are the same characters or not, since they both are pilots and in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome the character recognizes Max. - Max Fairchild appeared as two different characters in the first two films (As "Benno" in Mad Max and as "Broken Victim" in Mad Max 2).
Crew
| Film | Year | Director | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Music | Cinematography | Editing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Max Mad Max Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story... |
1979 1979 in film The year 1979 in film involved some significant events.- Major events :* March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.* May 25 - Alien, a landmark of the science fiction genre, is released.... |
George Miller | George Miller Byron Kennedy Byron Kennedy Byron Eric Kennedy Born Melbourne was an Australian film producer best known for the Mad Max series of films.... James McCausland |
Byron Kennedy Byron Kennedy Byron Eric Kennedy Born Melbourne was an Australian film producer best known for the Mad Max series of films.... Bill Miller Bill Miller (film producer) -Life and career:Bill Miller was born in -Life and career:Bill Miller was born in -Life and career:Bill Miller was born in [[Queensland]and, like his older brother [[George Miller |George Miller]], who gave up practicing medicine to become a [[film director]], Bill, a successful arts and... |
Brian May | David Eggby David Eggby David Eggby is a British cinematographer. He was born in 1950 in London, but has lived in Melbourne, Australia since childhood. He received the Cinematographer of the Year and the Golden Tripod from the Australian Cinematographers Society, both for his work on the film Pitch Black... |
Cliff Hayes Tony Paterson |
| Mad Max 2 | 1981 1981 in film -Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it.... |
George Miller | Terry Hayes Terry Hayes Terry Hayes is an English screenwriter and producer born on the 8 October 1951. In 2001, he was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay for his work on From Hell... George Miller Brian Hannant |
Byron Kennedy Byron Kennedy Byron Eric Kennedy Born Melbourne was an Australian film producer best known for the Mad Max series of films.... |
Brian May | Dean Semler Dean Semler Dean Semler, A.C.S., A.S.C. is an Australian cinematographer. Over his career, he has worked as a cinematographer, camera operator, director, second unit director, and assistant director.-Early years:... |
David Stiven Michael Balson Tim Wellburn |
| Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, written by Miller, Doug Mitchell and Terry Hayes, and starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. It is the third installment in the action movie Mad Max franchise... |
1985 1985 in film -Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie... |
George Miller George Ogilvie George Ogilvie George Ogilvie is an Australian actor and film director. He was born in Goulburn, New South Wales in 1931. He directed Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome with George Miller.He was awarded the A.M... |
Terry Hayes Terry Hayes Terry Hayes is an English screenwriter and producer born on the 8 October 1951. In 2001, he was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay for his work on From Hell... George Miller |
Terry Hayes Terry Hayes Terry Hayes is an English screenwriter and producer born on the 8 October 1951. In 2001, he was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay for his work on From Hell... George Miller Doug Mitchell |
Maurice Jarre Maurice Jarre Maurice-Alexis Jarre was a French composer and conductor.Although he composed several concert works, he is best known for his film scores, and is particularly known for his collaborations with film director David Lean. Jarre composed the scores to all of Lean's films since Lawrence of Arabia... (score) Lyle/Britten Terry Britten Terry Britten is a prolific English singer-songwriter, who has written songs for Tina Turner and Sir Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Status Quo, Michael Jackson and many others.-Career:... /Knight Holly Knight Holly Knight is a songwriter, vocalist and musician of pop and rock music.- Biography :She was born in New York City and started playing classical piano as a young child. She soon became interested in rock music, and left home at about sixteen to pursue her dreams... (songs) |
Dean Semler Dean Semler Dean Semler, A.C.S., A.S.C. is an Australian cinematographer. Over his career, he has worked as a cinematographer, camera operator, director, second unit director, and assistant director.-Early years:... |
Richard Francis-Bruce Richard Francis-Bruce Richard Francis-Bruce is an Australian film editor who has received several nominations for the Academy Award for Film Editing.- Career :... |
Sequel
Plans for the fourth film of the Mad Max series, tentatively known as Mad Max 4: Fury Road, or simply Mad Max 4, hit financial difficulties early on, and was in development hellDevelopment hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
for around 25 years. George Miller announced in 2003 that a script had been written for a fourth film, and that pre-production was in the early stages. Although the project was given the green light for a $100 million USD budget to begin shooting in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in May 2003, Mad Max 4 almost immediately entered hiatus due to security concerns related to trying to film in Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, because the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and many other countries have tightened travel and shipping restrictions. With the outbreak of the Iraq War, Mad Max 4 was (at that time) abandoned as what was a potentially politically sensitive film.
In November 2006, George Miller had stated that he still had full intentions to make Fury Road, telling the press that he was considering doing the film without Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
, saying, “There's a real hope. The last thing I wanted to do is another Mad Max, but this script came along, and I'm completely carried away with it." The film's screenplay was co-written with cult British comic creator Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy is a British artist and designer best known for his work in comic books, film and television.- Biography :Brendan McCarthy, of Irish descent, was born in London. Brendan soon began painting and drawing his own home-made comics....
, who also designed many of the new characters and vehicles.
Miller again confirmed his desire to make another Mad Max at the 2007 Aurora film maker initiative. However, he did say he thought Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
would not be interested in the film because he is too old.
Animation
On 5 March 2009, it was announced that an R-rated 3D3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
was now in pre-production taking much of the plot from Fury Road, (Mad Max co-creator and director George Miller has already directed an animated feature film - the acclaimed 2006 computer animated
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
Happy Feet
Happy Feet
Happy Feet is a 2006 American-Australian computer-animated family film with music, directed and co-written by George Miller. It was produced at Sydney-based visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic for Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures and Kingdom Feature Productions and was released...
), although Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
will not feature as a voice talent and Miller is looking for a "different route", a "renaissance" of the franchise. Miller cites the famous 1988 Japanese anime sci-fi post-apocalyptic feature film Akira
Akira (film)
is a 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk science fiction film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, and starring the voices of Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama and Taro Ishida. The screenplay is based on Otomo's manga Akira....
as an inspiration for what he wants to do with the franchise. George Miller is also developing an action-adventure tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
video game based on the fourth film, along with God of War II
God of War II
God of War II is an action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March, 2007....
video game designer Cory Barlog
Cory Barlog
Cory Barlog is a video game developer who is best known for his work in on God of War and God of War II for SCE Studios Santa Monica. He previously worked on Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home and X-Men: Next Dimension....
. Both projects are expected to take 2 to 2½ years, according to Miller, with a release date in either 2011 or 2012. The upcoming Fury Road film would be produced at Dr.D Studios, a digital art studios founded in 2008 by George Miller and Doug Mitchell.
On 18 May 2009, however, it was reported that location scouting was underway for a new live action filming of "Mad Max 4". Regardless of that decision, during a film conference held on 8 June 2009 Miller has confirmed that an anime film produced by North Star Productions (famous for their Hokuto No Ken
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
animated films, which are inspired by the Mad Max films) is most likely to happen.
Live action
After exploring the possibility of an animated 3D-film, George Miller stated that a live-action sequel is still a possibility, and location scouting for the Mad Max sequel began in May 2009. Australian press releases of 18 May 2009 said:- "MAD Max is revving up for a long-awaited return to the big screen, almost 25 years after Tina Turner ran Mel Gibson out of Bartertown. Director George Miller is gearing up to shoot the fourth film in the ground-breaking Aussie Mad Max franchise, industry sources say. Scouting for locations is under way for the movie, which many thought would never get off the ground. It could go into production later this year."
- "According to industry sources, the fourth film in the groundbreaking Australian franchise, which many people thought would never get off the ground, might well go into production as early as the later part of this year. Scouting for locations is already happening and specialised technicians have been approached. It's extremely unlikely, however, that Gibson will be asked to take his leathers out of mothballs to reprise the role that made him an international star."
It was announced by George Miller on 24 October 2009, that filming of Fury Road would commence at Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in early 2011, ending years of speculation. This announcement attracted widespread media attention in Australia, with the popular speculation at that time on whether Mel Gibson would return as Max, even though this had previously been considered unlikely.
On 29 October 2009, it was announced that British actor Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy
Edward Thomas "Tom" Hardy is an English actor. He is best known for playing the title character in the 2008 British film Bronson, the character of Eames in Inception, and the villain Praetor Shinzon in Star Trek Nemesis...
was in negotiations to take the lead role of Max, and Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron is a South African actress, film producer and former fashion model.She rose to fame in the late 1990s following her roles in 2 Days in the Valley, Mighty Joe Young, The Devil's Advocate and The Cider House Rules...
will also play a major role. The plot will be set shortly after the events of Beyond Thunderdome. In June 2010, Hardy announced on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
that he will play the title role in a new version of Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
.
One source reported in July 2010 that Miller would shoot two Mad Max films back-to-back, Mad Max: Fury Road and Mad Max: Furiosa. Despite wide dissemination, no subsequent reports confirmed this in the interim.
In November 2011, filming was moved from Broken Hill, in the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
outback
Outback
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
, to Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, after unexpected heavy rains turned the desert there into a lush landscape of wildflowers, inappropriate for the look of the movie.
Merchandising
A wide range of Mad Max items have been produced over the years, including videos, books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, board and video games, action figures, car models, and also souvenir magazines, t-shirts, and stickers.Video game
Mad Max is a 1990 NESNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game that is based on the film Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Mad Max 2 is a 1981 Australian post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller. The film is the second installment in the Mad Max film series, with Mel Gibson starring as Max Rockatansky...
. The object is to survive life after the end of the world by battling survivalists and collecting valuable food, water, gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, and money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
. The game is similar to Outlander
Outlander (video game)
Outlander is an action driving video game with a post-apocalyptic theme. It was developed and published by Mindscape in 1992 for the Sega Genesis and in 1993 for the Super Nintendo.-Gameplay:...
released in 1992 for Sega Genesis and SNES.