In 2015, George Miller shocked Hollywood when he reignited the Mad Max franchise with Mad Max: Fury Road. After two decades away from the franchise, many were skeptical how the universe would work in today’s age – but Miller delivered and brought forth one of the finest action movies of all time. In 2024, he further expanded upon his universe by exploring the origin story of Furiosa.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a sprawling epic that charts the childhood of Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) as she is taken from her homeland. Desperate to get back home, as she ages, she transforms into a true warrior and her mission to get back home is overlaid with a thirst for revenge. To that, Miller has created yet another action spectacle that will surely cement itself in the action history books. So, let’s explore some key things you may have missed in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Furiosa Has a Connection to the 2015 Video Game
After the critical and commercial success of Mad Max: Fury Road, which took home six Academy Awards, a comic book series was released, followed by a video game. The game, developed by Avalanche Studios, aimed to expand on the story and characters of the film. However, the game received mixed reviews and sparked a heated controversy between George Miller, the director of the film, and Christofer Sundberg, the founder of Avalanche Studios.
Miller publicly expressed his disdain for the game, citing its poor quality and lack of authenticity. Sundberg clapped back via a Twitter post (now X), calling Miller “arrogant” and implying that he was too close-minded to appreciate the game’s creative liberties. After this feud was ignited, it’s bizarre to think that Miller would pay homage to the game – but he did. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga features the video game character of Chumbucket (played by Bryan Probets), leading fans to speculate that Miller and Sundberg’s beef has been squashed.
Max Snuck His Way Into the Movie
With Furiosa being set before the events of Mad Max: Fury Road, there was slim chance of Tom Hardy reprising his role as Max. Also, despite massive speculation, Mel Gibson didn’t reprise his role either. Which makes total sense, as his age simply wouldn’t work. However, Max is seen briefly in the movie when Furiosa is left injured in the wasteland. Max stands next to his iconic V8 Interceptor Pursuit Special while looking over a cliff at Furiosa. In the next scene, she has found safety, but it is unknown how she got there. Given that Max and Furiosa first cross paths in Mad Max: Fury Road, it seems unfathomable that Max took her to safety, as he would then later recognise her in the events of Fury Road. So, he probably stayed out of trouble and went about his business. Either way, it was an interesting cameo that felt much-needed. As of yet, it is unknown who portrayed Max in the short clip, as his face wasn’t shown.
Furiosa’s Arm Amputation Means More Than You Think
In Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa is equipped with a mechanical arm, but it is not revealed how it came to be. To that, every action scene in Furiosa feels increasingly tense as the audience thinks this may be the moment she loses her arm. When she is captured by Dementnus (Chris Hemsworth), her arm has already been injured during a car chase. As Dementus hangs her up by her arm, she sacrifices her limb to set herself free. However, this develops a whole new meaning when it halts her mission to get back home. To that, we see a shift in her journey – switching from the need to escape to the desire to exact brutal revenge – arguably creating the moment we see her become the warrior we come to know in Mad Max: Fury Road.
How One Actor Appeared in Both Fury Road and Furiosa
Eagle-eyed moviegoers may have noticed a familiar face in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. For those that didn’t, Australian actor Josh Helman first entered the Mad Max universe as Slit in Fury Road. Slit was the most extreme War Boy who constantly opens and closes his self-inflicted wounds during battles. In Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Miller decided to cast the rising star in a completely different role. In the movie, Helman plays Scrotus, the hotheaded son of Immortan Joe.
What the Peach at the Start of the Movie Represents
Before the carnage unfolds at the start of the movie, Furiosa is seen picking peaches with her younger sister. However, Furiosa never gets the chance to eat hers. Shortly after, she is taken by Dementus’ men. When her mother comes to save her, she gives Furiosa a peach seed before being killed by Dementus. Furiosa holds onto this throughout the whole movie until Dementus meets his fate, becoming a living peach tree at the top of The Citadel. To that, the film comes full circle, as Furiosa lists the way she could end Dementus. As a skilled warrior, she exacts her revenge in a poetic way instead of resorting to sheer violence – and the circle of life continues.
The End Credits Offer a Glimpse at the Future of the Mad Max Series
For those that stuck around for the end credits of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a pulse-pounding sequence is overlaid by Tom Holkenborg‘s iconic Fury Road soundtrack. On the surface, this may seem like a filler scene to end the movie, but there is perhaps more than meets the eye. At the end of the sequence, the bobblehead belonging to Nicholas Hoult’s Nux from Fury Road is seen. As a result, theories have already begun that Nux’s world could be further expanded upon in the next movies. As of yet, Miller hasn’t talked in length as to where the franchise will go next. Yet, the film’s title having “Saga” in there suggests that this isn’t a one-time event. So, ending the movie on Nux’s bobblehead could indeed be a hint to where the story may go next. Until more is known, here is every movie in the franchise so far, ranked from worst to best.
Follow Us
