Pre-production is ramping up on the “Mad Max” spin-off prequel film “Furiosa,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Director George Miller confirmed Monday that the film’s production will take place in New South Wales, Australia next year.
While acting as both a spin-off and a prequel, “Furiosa” tells the origin story of the beloved “Fury Road” character. Charlize Theron originally played Furiosa in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” however Anya Taylor-Joy will portray the younger version of the character the upcoming film. 2021 is already off to an exciting start for Taylor-Joy. Just a few months ago she took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries.
Additionally, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Chris Hemsworth will star in “Furiosa” in undisclosed roles. A long term fan of the film series, Hemsworth said being cast was the “biggest pinch-myself moment, because I’ve grown up watching it [Mad Max] and it’s so iconic… It is a huge honor. A lot of pressure, but exciting pressure that is certainly motivating,” per Deadline.
Hemsworth is currently in his home country of Australia shooting the Marvel blockbuster “Thor: Love and Thunder” with a stacked cast. However, when production begins on “Furiosa” it will become the biggest film ever made in Australia. The film expects to inject $350M AUD into the Australian economy and create 850 local jobs. This is the latest example of Australia’s growing film industry which began during the pandemic when it was unsafe to film in America.
“Fury Road,” the previous installment in the “Mad Max” series, received universal acclaim. It picked up 10 Oscar nominations included Best Picture and Director and ultimately won six. “Furiosa” will hit theaters on June 23, 2023.
