Summary
With confirmation ofFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga’simpending streaming release, I’m still holding out hope for the franchise’s future. While I always enjoyedtheMad Maxmoviesfor their great action and worldbuilding, I’ll confess they were never my favorite action series either. Still, like most of the planet, I was blown out the back of my seat byMad Max: Fury Road, which has earned its place as one of - if notthebest - action movies of the 21st century.
In addition to its amazing setpieces and memorable characters, it’s a film I could rewatch endlessly, as the world itself is filled with intricate details and easter eggs that are easy to miss.Fury Roadwas such an instant classic that 2024 prequelFuriosafaced an almost impossible challenge to match it. The film falters when compared to its 2015 predecessor, but it remains an epic and immensely enjoyable ride. Sadly,Furiosaonly grossed $172 million at the box office, a figure that just about covered its production budget (viaThe Numbers).
Charlee Fraser
Mary Jo Bassa
In contrast to its lukewarm financial performance,the Anya Taylor-Joy frontedFuriosareceived largely positive reviews, earning 90% onRotten Tomatoes. It’s a movie that will last way beyond its opening weekend, and I can all but guarantee that in a decade, it will have just as loyal a following asFury Road.Furiosawill arrive on Max on August 16, giving those who missed it in theaters a chance to rectify that error. More than opening it up to a wider audience, this could also be the last chance to shape how the prequel has been received.
In the past, it may have taken years for audiences to reclaim a “failure” likeFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga… once it hits Max, its reputation could turn around within months.
IfFuriosais a runaway success on streaming, that could reframe the spinoff’s performance.It wouldn’t be the first time an underperforming Warner Bros production has blown up on Max either, since I recall the same thing happening with James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squadin 2021. Those put off byFuriosa’sbutt-numbing runtime when it was in theaters should be more forgiving when watching it from the comfort of their couches too.
Why Furiosa Didn’t Perform as Well as Mad Max Fury Road
Furiosa and Fury Road are both part of the popular Mad Max franchise, so why did the 2015 film perform better than the Anya-Taylor Joy-led spinoff?
The movie’s box office failure has been widely reported, but positive word of mouth aboutFuriosa’squality should counteract that too. The film is another example of Miller’s prowess as a filmmaker, mixing inventive action with mythic storytelling and characters. In the past, it may have taken years for audiences to reclaim a “failure” likeFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga, but once it hits Max, its reputation could turn around within a few months.
Furiosa Was Already A Hit On VoD
Furiosa quickly went digital following its box-office disappointment
Furiosa’sMax debut comes shortly after it became a top seller on VOD in July (viaIndieWire), where it arrived just over a month after its theatrical opening. Now,I know VOD sales are unlikely to help the movie break even, but that extra revenue won’t hurteither. The movie’s VOD success proves there is an audience for theMad Maxoffshoot, and viewers are more accepting of a time sink likeFuriosawhen they have the option to pause for a bathroom break or to get more snacks.
Furiosa’sVOD performance bodes well for its chances on Maxtoo. Again, it may have been a financial letdown, but the quality of the film itself was never in question. I believe one element that affectedFuriosa’sreception was that it came almost a decade afterMad Max: Fury Road, and that excitement for a direct follow-up had dulled in the intervening years. The lack of key returning cast member didn’t help, even ifCharlize Theron has a hidden cameo inFuriosa’sfinal scene.
Why Furiosa Underperformed At The Box Office
Furiosa’s failure has many causes
Industry analysts and certain critics were claiming the box office failure of well-reviewed fare likeThe Fall GuyorFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagawas proof positive that theaters were dying. As always, the truth is more nuanced than that.Furiosamay have received a broadly positive response, but it still came too late to capitalize on the wave of positivity that metFury Road. It featured a largely new cast too, and whileMad Max makes aFuriosaappearance, his role is tiny and Tom Hardy doesn’t play him.
Tom Hardy’s stunt double Jacob Tomuri plays Max during his briefFuriosascene.
The prequel might be set in the same world asFury Road, but whereas that entry had largely practical VFX and stunts, there’s a cartoony CGI sheen toFuriosathat disappointed me as it lacked the same visceral impact.The film is also a dark, R-rated ride with a large budget, so dropping it in the middle of summer may not have been the best choicein hindsight.Furiosa’smarketing was also lacking, as if Warner Brothers expected the spinoff to market itself to those who already lovedFury Road.
Will Max return for The Wasteland?
What’s interesting to note aboutFuriosais how closely tied toFury Roadit is. The previous threeMad Maxfilms fronted by Mel Gibson may have featured the same protagonist, but they still took place in new environments with new characters, requiring no prior knowledge for viewers to understand the story.Furiosabreaks from that formula and feels designed to be part of a double bill withFury Road. Perhaps that was another element that hurt it, since newcomers felt like they needed to have done their homework to fully enjoy the prequel.
In truth, it will probably be at least a few years before another film in theMad Maxuniverse happens.
Regardless, the question now is whether theMad Maxseries has a future followingFuriosa’sperformance.While working onFury Road, Miller, and his creative partners developed bothFuriosaandThe Wasteland, with the latter following Max before the events of the 2015 film. The director stated thata potentialMad Max: The Wastelanddepended on the success of hisFury Roadprequel; following the latter’s financial failure, I very much doubtful Warner Bros will rush the next entry into production.
In truth, it will probably be at least a few years before another film in theMad Maxuniverse happens. The character of Furiosa is almost certainly done, and if another Max adventure happens, it’s probably best if it has no overt ties toFury Road. Miller maintains tight creative control over the property, so nothing will be happening without his approval. That said, studios won’t be looking at investing in another big-budget sequel in the near future either.
Mad Maxis an iconic property and it’s worth remembering there was a 30-year gap betweenBeyond ThunderdomeandFury Road. Max is a mythic figure, and I’m sure he’ll return from the wasteland one day in his V8 Interceptor. It’s just that series devotees shouldn’t expect that return to happen anytime soon afterFuriosa.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Cast
A prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa is an action-adventure film that tells the origin story of the headstrong and fearless Furiosa. Set shortly after the beginning of the “end of the world,” Furiosa is kidnapped and brought before a powerful warlord, now forced to work for him. To find her way back home, Furiosa will adapt to the new harsh and arid world as she grows into the Furiosa she becomes known to be.
