The Mad Max franchise is an Australian post-apocalyptic action multi-media series created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. The series began in 1979 with Mad Max, starring Mel Gibson, and was succeeded by three films: Mad Max 2 (1981), Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). A prequel film based on the character of Imperator Furiosa is slated for release on May 24, 2024.
The series follows the life of Max Rockatansky; a man who attempts to survive in a future Australia that has suffered from a societal collapse due to war and resource shortages. He is a lone warrior who helps small pockets of civilisation across outback Australia; or in other terms "The Wasteland"; whether it's gathering resources or defending against marauding road gangs.
The series has been heavily praised, and has had a significant influence on popular culture, particularly action and apocalyptic fiction. There have been several adaptions of the Mad Max film series, including video games and novellas.
Films[]
Mad Max[]
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller, starring Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns and Roger Ward. The plot was written by George Miller and Byron Kennedy, and tells the tale of a future Australia on the brink of a societal collapse, when berserk bike gangs begin taking over highways. As the unhinged policeman Max Rockatansky faces violent feuds with Toecutter and his gang, it's up to him to defend both his wife Jessie and his son Sprog from being brutally murdered.
Mad Max 2[]
Mad Max 2 (Also known as The Road Warrior) is a 1981 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller. The sequel to Mad Max, Mad Max 2 stars Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Mike Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells and Emil Minty. The plot, written by Terry Hayes, George Miller and Brian Hannant, takes place not long after Mad Max, and tells the story of Max Rocktansky, now accompanied by an Australian cattle dog and the Gyro Captain. Together, they assist an isolated community, in hopes of protecting the civilians from Lord Humungus and his gang, who are thirsty for gasoline.
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome[]
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 Australian dystopian action-adventure film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, with the screenplay written by George Miller and Terry Hayes. The third entry in the Mad Max film series, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome stars Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Bruce Spence, Adam Cockburn, Tom Jennings and Helen Buday. Taking place over a decade since The Road Warrior, Beyond Thunderdome is about Max Rockatansky, who is banished into the desert by a corrupt leader known as Aunty Entity. He is saved, however, by a Tribe of Lost Children, who believe that he is a flight captain who will fly the community back to civilisation.
Mad Max: Fury Road[]
Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2015 Australian-American dystopian action film directed by George Miller, with the screenplay written by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris and starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Nathan Jones. A reboot of the Mad Max series, the film tells the story of Max Rockatansky, escorted by Imperator Furiosa, as they flee from the corrupt cult leader Immortan Joe and rescue his five wives.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga[]
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an upcoming film slated for release on May 24, 2024, directed by Goerge Miller, with the screenplay written by George Miller and Nick Lathouris. The film is a prequel to Fury Road, focused on the origin story of Imperator Furiosa.
Books[]
Fiction[]
- Mad Max (novelisation)
- Mad Max 2 (novelisation)
- Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (novelisation)
- Mad Max: Fury Road (comic series)
Non-fiction[]
- The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road (Official)
- Mad Max: Movies of Apocalyptic Mayhem (Unofficial)
Soundtracks[]
Albums[]
- Mad Max (soundtrack)
- Mad Max 2 (soundtrack)
- Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (soundtrack)
- Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (score)