George Miller has tapped Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II to star in “Furiosa,” the prequel movie based on Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa character from 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Taylor-Joy will play title role, a younger version of Furiosa. Miller had said in a May interview with The New York Times that he’d been searching for searching for an actress in her 20s to take over the role. He said at the time he had considered using de-aging technology in order to allow Theron — who’s 44 –to play the part again, but has decided against doing so. Taylor-Joy is 24.

Miller will direct, co-write and produce “Furiosa,” along with his longtime producing partner Doug Mitchell. The film will be produced by Miller’s own Australian-based Kennedy Miller Mitchell banner, together with “Fury Road” partner Warner Bros. Pictures.


In prepping the “Fury Road” script, Miller and co-writer Nick Lathouris developed origin stories for every character, but not much was revealed about Furiosa’s past. In the film, she is a war captain under the cruel leader Immortan Joe, but turns against him in order to free Joe’s concubines. She then forms an alliance with Max Rockatansky, portrayed by Tom Hardy. Miller has directed all four “Mad Max” movies and was nominated for best picture and best director for “Fury Road” at the 2015 Oscars.

He said at the time he had considered using de-aging technology in order to allow Theron — who’s 44 –to play the part again, but has decided against doing so. Taylor-Joy is 24.

With George Miller having recently wrapped his next film after Mad Max: Fury Road, the fantasy feature Three Thousand Years Of Longing starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton, all sights are set on his return to the Mad Max universe. It was announced that his prequel Furiosa was set to go forward with Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and Yahya Abdul Mateen II, and now we have a few more details on the project.

“Whereas Fury Road essentially happened over three days and two nights, this happens over many years,” he said in a press conference this morning in Australia, as Syndey Morning Herald reports. ”You try to make films that are ‘uniquely familiar’. This will be familiar to those people who know Mad Max, and in particular Fury Road, but also it will be unique.”

The film, which is already set for a June 23, 2023 release, will begin production in Australia this June and is expected to be the biggest shoot yet in the country. Bringing $350 million AUD (around $271 million USD) to the economy, it looks like Miller’s scope will be even great for this project. Miller will reteam with production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt for the film.

“Furiosa,” George Miller’s prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road,” won’t hit screens until 2024. The hugely ambitious action film was originally scheduled to open on June 23, 2023. Instead, it will hit screens on Memorial Day of 2024, Warner Bros. said on Friday.

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So far, no studios have announced release dates in May of 2024, so it’s unclear if Furiosa will face a foe even more formidable than Immortan Joe.

By the time the movies hit theaters, WarnerMedia will be no more. The company is being spun off by AT&T and will merge with Discovery. The new entity has been dubbed Warner Bros. Discovery.