Furiosa Tells A 15 Year Story In The Mad Max World: ‘It’s An Odyssey, No Question’ – Exclusive Image

When George Miller unleashed Mad Max: Fury Road on the world in 2015, it bowled audiences over for several reasons. There was the unhinged action, with mind-bending car-based carnage that put pedal to the metal. Then there was the intensity of the filmmaking itself, channeling Max’s own madness into a jolt of cinematic adrenaline. But its secret weapon came in a different form – not Tom Hardy’s Max, but another lone figure in the water-sparse Wasteland who, with her buzzcut, blackened brow, and biomechanical arm, immediately became a cinematic icon. Her name was Imperator Furiosa, and she set the screen ablaze. Now, she’s about to take centre stage in this summer’s wildest blockbuster – buckle up for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Miller’s long-awaited prequel sees Anya Taylor-Joy take over the role originated by Charlize Theron in Fury Road. And there’s good reason for that – not only is it does it delve into the character’s history, but it takes place over a significant swathe of her life. “The story is the saga of Furiosa, and how she gets taken from home, and spends the rest of her life trying to get back,” Miller tells Empire, in our world-exclusive Furiosa cover feature. “[In] Fury Road, the story unfolds over three days and two nights. This film follows the story that runs directly into Fury Road, for 15 years.” Even for long-time Mad Max fans, it’s going to be a unique and unexpected ride. “It’s a different animal,” explains Miller. “It’s got many different locations. It’s an odyssey. No question.”

Originally penned as part of the process of working towards Fury Road, the Furiosa screenplay proved an instant hit with Theron when she perused it as preparation for shooting Mad Max. “She said, ‘Please, George, can we make this first?’” laughs Miller. “It was the first time I realised that there’s something really strong in this story.” But it’s Anya Taylor-Joy taking the wheel here, with Theron’s blessing. “She’s been so classy and kind in letting me go and do it,” Taylor-Joy tells Empire, noting that she’s yet to meet with her fellow Furiosa face-to-face. “But I feel very lucky that, from the second I read the script, I just knew this person. I felt so fiercely protective over Furiosa, and fiercely protective of her interests.” Her only disappointment? Not being allowed to get the clippers out to achieve Furiosa’s famous ‘do, owing to the shooting schedule. “I was so excited to shave my head,” she says. “Then George saw me in real life, and went, ‘No, we can’t!’”

As with Fury Road, Furiosa will pitch her into a world of warring men – not just the returning Immortan Joe, but Chris Hemsworth’s warlord Dementus, and Tom Burke’s War Rig driver Praetorian Jack. And while this is Furiosa’s story through and through, it’s still a ‘Mad Max Saga’ – not necessarily precluding some kind of appearance from the man himself. “I won’t give away too much about that,” teases Miller. “All I’ll say is, Max is lurking there in the background.” Who’s ready to get all shiny and chrome?

Read Empire’s world-exclusive Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga cover feature – delving into the guzzoline-fuelled madness of the action-packed shoot, with George Miller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth and more – in the May 2024 issue, on sale Thursday 14 March. Pre-order a copy online here. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga comes to UK cinemas from 24 May.