The idea of a Mad Max: fury Road spin-off featuring Charlize Theron's Furiosa character is something that has been spoken of for years; indeed, co-writer/director George Miller has said he had the idea for it during the long slog of development for Fury Road itself. Now, as he contemplates future films, the project is back on the table properly, but Theron won't star in it.
As was hinted when rumours emerged that Miller had been auditioning Anya Taylor-Joy to play the role, the director has now confirmed to the New York Times the plan to go with a younger version of the character in the new movie.
And according to him, that wasn't always the plan. "For the longest time, I thought we could just use CG de-aging on Charlize, but I don’t think we’re nearly there yet," Miller says. "Despite the valiant attempts on The Irishman, I think there’s still an uncanny valley. Everyone is on the verge of solving it, particular Japanese video-game designers, but there’s still a pretty wide valley, I believe."
With legal wrangles over earnings from Fury Road now largely settled, Miller will focus on the prequel after he finishes work on Three Thousand Years Of Longing, starring Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba, and which was halted before it could even kick off shooting by the pandemic. For more from the director, head to The New York Times, which also has an oral history of the movie.