Tom Hardy offers up a hopeful response regarding his return as Max Rockatansky forMad Max: The Wasteland. Hardy first played Max in director George Miller’sMad Max: Fury Road(2015), taking on the role made famous by actor Mel Gibson. The film was critically acclaimed, and Miller would return to the franchise withFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagaearlier this year, which sawAnya Taylor-Joy taking over the role of Furiosafrom Charlize Theron. It’s currently unclear what’s next for the franchise.
During a recent interview withEntertainment Tonightat the premiere ofVenom: The Last Dance, Hardy is asked about whether he’ll be back as Max for an additionalMad Maxmovie. While the franchise’s future remains up in the air, the actor makes clear he’d be open to reprising his role:
“No, I haven’t been told anything about it yet, but obviously I’d love to do that.”
As for what the next project will be, Hardy brings upThe Wasteland, which was first reported back around the release ofFury Road. Whether it gets made, however, the actor doesn’t know. Read Hardy’s comment or watch the video below (relevant section begins at 1:00):
“George already has a script called the Wasteland, which is like quite specific so I’m aware of that. It depends on whether they’re making it.”
How Furiosa Affects The Movie’s Chances
The Wastelandisn’t a particularly new project, and it was reported to serve as more or less a sequel toFury Road. Though Miller was once seemingly keen on pushing this project forward, he evidently opted to focus onFuriosainstead. Unfortunately, despiteFuriosa’s positive reviews, the film may have sealed the franchise’s fate with its theatrical run earlier this year.
Mad Max’s Backstory Explained: Origins, Family & Revenge Mission
The story of Mad Max Rockatansky is one of tragedy, but here is everything that happened to him before the action franchise’s apocalypse.
Made on an estimated budget of $168 million,Furiosawas a significant disappointment in theaters, grossing just $173.8 million worldwide. This is considerably less thanFury Road’s $379.4 million global haul, and even that result made the 2015 more of a modest success than a full-blown hit.Furiosa’s performance suggests that the audience for newMad Maxmovies is perhaps more limited than previously thought, and it may well havekilled any chances thatThe Wastelandwill happen, despite Hardy’s enthusiasm.
Furiosa, which also stars Chris Hemsworth, has a strong 90% critics score and 89% audience score onRotten Tomatoes.
Hardy Should Get Another Outing As Max
At least part of the reason whyFuriosaunderperformed could be because it’s aMad Maxmovie without Max.It’s possible that Hardy’s return to the role could be enough to getThe Wastelandoff the groundand drive it to success, but it’s now looking like a long shot. If anotherMad Maxmoviedoes happen, it probably won’t be anytime soon, and it will likely feature a much more modest budget, meaning what’s featured inThe Wastelandscript might not even be possible to pull off.
That being said, Hardy made for a great Max inFury Road, and it would be exciting to see him play that character again.He actually would be well-suited to a more stripped-backMad Maxmovie that plays more like a post-apocalyptic thrillerrather than an expansive (and expensive) epic. It remains to be seen whetherMad Max: The Wastelandwill actually happen, but Hardy is evidently up for it.
Source:Entertainment Tonight
Mad Max: The Wasteland
Mad Max: The Wasteland follows the journey of Max Rockatansky in the year leading up to Mad Max: Fury Road. This film explores the harsh landscapes and challenges Max faces as he navigates the treacherous post-apocalyptic world preceding the explosive events that bring him to Fury Road.
