Mad Max: The Wasteland

Mad Max: The Wasteland is a working title for an upcoming entry in the Mad Max franchise. It is intended as a direct sequel to Mad Max: Fury Road and was originally to follow the film, however, it was ultimately followed by the prequel film Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

As of 2024, it is uncertain when or even if Mad Max: The Wasteland will release.

Production timeline

• 15.05.2015: In The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith podcast, George Miller says that the screenplay for the next Mad Max installment was conceived during the production delays of Mad Max: Fury Road between 2003 and 2012. As explained by George Miller: "We’ve got one screenplay and a novella. It happened because with the delays [on 'Fury Road'], and writing all the backstories, they just expanded."
• 15:05.2015: On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, George Miller explains that Mad Max: Furiosa is a completely different story (most likely previously envisioned as the 3D anime centered around Furiosa), separate from the two new stories.
• 18.05.2015: Miller reveals the working title of the sequel - Mad Max: The Wasteland
• 17.09.2015: Tom Hardy expresses his eagerness to play Max once again.
• 02.10.2015: Miller confirms he's in talks with Warner Bros about filming the next Mad Max sequel but he is not sure which of the two scripts will be filmed.
• 05.10.2015: George Miller reveals the relation between the two scripts: "They’ll be tangentially linked. They’re all in the same world, but they won’t be direct sequels."
• 06.10.2015: Miller not opposed to Mad Max spin-offs directed by other people, including Guillermo del Toro in addition to three other directors Miller would not reveal.
• 06.10.2015: Mel Gibson ruled out for good from the Mad Max franchise.
• 07.10.2015: Miller not particularly inclined to jump into making another Max Max sequel yet. Claims he needs a break from those kind of movies because they are very difficult to make.
• 12.10.2015: Miller stated that Charlize Theron is unlikely to return as a central character in the sequel, though there might be a scene with Max and Furiosa. He has also stated that unlike Fury Road, The Wasteland will be a quieter affair with a smaller budget and fewer special effects and stunts.
• 26.10.2015: George Miller expresses his desire to film the next installment of Mad Max in Australia.
• 04.11.2015: Miller confirms "Mad Max: The Wasteland" is just a working title and the final movie will probably be titled differently.
• 07.11.2015: Miller reveals that there is a possibility that Corpus Collossus makes an appearance in Fury Road's sequel.
• 07.12.2015: Joy Smithers (playing one of The Vuvalini in Mad Max: Fury Road) revealed that she had read the script of the next installment of Mad Max. The Vuvalini are making an appearance in it, as well as Valkyrie as a child. The movie is supposed to be a prequel.
• 12.01.2016: George Miller has indicated he is unwilling to return for a fifth installment of the saga, following the troubled production of Fury Road.
• 15.01.2016: George Miller has denied the rumours of not making another installment in the mad max saga.
• 17.02.2016: George Miller hints at character traits he'd like to use in Mad Max: The Wasteland: "I wondered, okay, how does a man who is blind and mute—and basically he could only play a guitar - survive the apocalypse? It’s actually something I’d like to use if I make another film, so I’d better keep that one to myself."
• 20.07.2016: Cinematographer John Seale expresses his interest in shooting the next Mad Max movie, reveals one of the scripts - a prequel - revolves around the character of Furiosa.