'There are stories to tell': George Miller on Mel Gibson's return to 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: As George Miller's 'Mad Max' franchise returns with its fifth installment, fans are anticipating the return of Mel Gibson in the iconic role of Max Rockatansky. Unfortunately, there's no scope for his character to make an appearance in the upcoming film, titled 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'.
'Mad Max', released in 1979, marked the first film of what turned out to be an epic post-apocalyptic action-adventure franchise. It introduced Mel Gibson in the lead role of Max, an officer of the Main Force Patrol.
He reappeared as Max in the next two installments - 'Mad Max 2' (1981) and 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome' (1985) before being replaced by Tom Hardy in the franchise's fourth addition called 'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015).
What does George Miller say about Mel Gibson's return to 'Mad Max' franchise?
Ahead of the release of 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga', touted as the prequel to the 2015 film, George Miller was asked if there are any chances of bringing Mel Gibson as older version of his character.
Miller, in an interview with Jake's Takes, ruled out such a possibility stating that there's no story for an older character in his franchise.
"It's not like an unforgiving or one of those movies where it's really an old burnt out person coming back one more time," he explained.
Miller agreed that "there are stories to tell" but he hasn't thought of "what happens to Max when he gets into his 60s."
He further added, "I'm much more thinking of the characters around the time about 40 or 50 years after the whole, sort of, collapse of society."
Who plays Max Rockatansky in 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'?
The character of Max Rockatansky will have a cameo in the prequel movie 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' which features Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in key roles.
In the 2015 installment, Tom Hardy replaced Mel Gibson to play Max. However, the upcoming film won't feature Tom Hardy either.
As reported by Screen Rant, during a group interview at the 'Furiosa' screening, Miller said that Jacob Tomuri will appear as Max.
Miller was quoted as saying, "It was Jacob Tomuri, who was Tom Hardy's double. He also did some other stunts. He's a New Zealand stuntman, and he was doing some other stunts on the film, and I thought, 'Who better?'"
'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' trailer
'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' will hit the theatres in the United States on May 24, 2024.
