Anya Taylor-Joy is cast as young Furiosa in the Mad Max spinoff movie. The character of Furiosa first appeared in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, portrayed by Charlize Theron. Thanks to Theron’s memorable performance, Furiosa became an instant audience favorite, with many considering her to be the real star of Fury Road. Due to her popularity, there’s been talk of a Furiosa solo film for the past handful of years, with the project finally starting to gain some traction back in May. Mad Max director George Miller confirmed a Furiosa prequel was in the works, but there’s a catch.
Theron won’t be returning for the Mad Max spinoff, meaning her iconic role needs to be recast. Earlier this year, names such as Jodie Comer and Anya-Taylor Joy were reportedly being considered to star, and now the new Mad Max cast is starting to round out into shape. Not only has Miller found his new Furiosa, a couple other high-profile actors have signed on as well.
Per THR, Taylor-Joy has been cast to play Furiosa in the Mad Max spinoff. Joining her in the ensemble are Chris Hemsworth and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in undisclosed roles. Miller is returning to write and direct the movie.
Mad Max: Fury Road was one of the most acclaimed films of the past decade, earning surprising Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director (among several other accolades) and grossing $375.2 million worldwide. With that success, it’s easy to see why there wan interest in seeing the Mad Max franchise continue, but it wasn’t a guarantee this film would ever happen. Miller had been in the midst of a lawsuit with Warner Bros., which held up development of future Mad Max movies. It’s very encouraging to see Miller is back in the fold calling the shots, suggesting he’s settled any issues he has with the studio. While it’s important to note the Mad Max spinoff has not been officially green lit yet, the fact Miller has started casting indicates it’s moving forward.
As exciting it is to see Miller back in Mad Max’s chaotic post-apocalyptic world, this film still has some risks. Theron is synonymous with Furiosa and heartbroken she isn’t part of the prequel, so it will be interesting to see Taylor-Joy’s take and how she makes the character her own. To be fair to the young actress, she is one of Hollywood’s rising stars with multiple strong performances under her belt already. Miller clearly saw something in her to believe she’d make a great choice for young Furiosa, so it’s best to wait until the movie comes out to make final judgments. The additions of Hemsworth and Abdul-Mateen II are noteworthy as well given all they’ve accomplished throughout the years. There’s no shortage of characters the two would be suitable to play, meaning they both should be able to leave a mark on the Mad Max world.
