‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Sequel Likely, Two Possible Stories Being Targeted

Rumors surrounding the Mad Max: Fury Road sequel were brutal for a while. At first, it was rumored that director George Miller might be making two more films in the franchise. Then, less than a week later, he said he was never going to make another one.

Follow this up with the news that Miller stated his words were “garbled,” and fans have a storm of rumors rivaling the ones that Max and Furiosa drove into in Fury Road. George Miller is likely planning to make a sequel, at least; but, given his filming style, it probably won’t happen anytime soon. The chances of seeing another film in the franchise by 2020 are very much in question.

In the process of filming Fury Road, Miller was met with many delays including needing to move the filming site from Australia to Africa. The site down under was covered in grass and rain, and it would have destroyed the illusion of a dystopian future where water is scarce. Later, preservationists in Africa gave him plenty of grief about potentially destroying the fragile ecosystem with his practical effects.

With the potential problems facing a Mad Max: Fury Road sequel, Miller likely wants to take a break and make sure he’s ready for another undertaking first. The African desert was not easy on anyone involved with the last film, and Tom Hardy even did his own stunts. Stark realism in an unforgiving environment has its costs.

Movie News Guide states that two possible stories could be used in the next film, if and when George Miller decides to move ahead with it. He and scriptwriter Nico Lathouris already have the ideas written. One is in the form of a script, while the other is a detailed novella. No details have been revealed surrounding what these Mad Max: Fury Road sequel stories are, but rumors have pointed to the idea that Miller may make the next film into a spin-off about Furiosa.

Miller had previously revealed that Fury Road is full of characters who simply didn’t have enough screen time to get a backstory, and even the flaming guitar guy could get a spin-off. Fans have proven that they want to know more about him or Furiosa. Some, however, are hoping to see Max Rockatansky become more central to the story next time like he was in The Road Warrior and Beyond Thunderdome.

Admittedly, Max usually always got sucked into other people’s problems in his films, but Tom Hardy’s character was more of a side character than he was the lead. Some have blamed Fury Road‘s feminist influence for the change, but all criticism aside, the film has managed to grab some awards and might take home more at the Oscars.

With those kinds of accolades, it would be surprising to see George Miller abandon a Mad Max: Fury Road sequel. He finished Fury Road in his late 60s, nearly three decades after he finished Beyond Thunderdome.

‘Mad Max’ mastermind George Miller answers if Mel Gibson will appear in another movie (Photo by Jun Sato) https://t.co/iRr0q1MM5T via @EW

— Jun Sato (@JunSatoPhoto) February 2, 2016

In the gap between the Mad Max films, it was revealed that George Miller almost attempted a Justice League film pre-dating Batman V Superman by nearly a decade. Considering that Miller also directed Happy Feet, it’s unknown exactly what he would have done with the DC universe characters. Given his love of practical effects, we might have gotten a realistic take similar to the films Christopher Nolan delivered with Batman Begins and its sequels.

According to Christian Post, Miller came very close. “We almost got there, and it wasn’t to be. But that happens a lot, where films line up and the stars look like they’re aligning and they didn’t.” George Miller said that happened three times with Fury Road.

Fans are hoping the Mad Max: Fury Road sequel doesn’t face as many setbacks as the last one, and it gets made when Miller feels ready to go.

[Image via Warner Bros. Pictures]