Tom Hardy's Mad Max Return Looks Dead After New Update

Despite earning critical praise, the underwhelming box office performance of "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" likely means Tom Hardy won't be reprising his role as Max Rockatansky in another franchise installment.

The George Miller-directed prequel to "Mad Max: Fury Road" takes viewers back to the apocalyptic wasteland and follows Furiosa (Anya-Taylor Joy) as she plots revenge against Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), a dangerous warlord who kills her mother and kidnaps her as his slave. Like its predecessors, "Furiosa" dials up the action with excellent performances and world-building throughout. However, despite considerable hype, it grossed less than $70 million worldwide during its opening weekend against a budget (not including marketing) of a reported $168 million.

So, where do future Mad Max movies stand? According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Furiosa" box office results have put the franchise on hold for now. A Hardy-led "Fury Road" prequel titled "The Wasteland" was set to follow the main character one year before the 2015 film's events. Even Miller admitted in an interview on the podcast "Happy Sad Confused" that more films depended on the success of "Furiosa." "I'm still figuring out what to do with ['The Wasteland']," the director said. "I'm just waiting to see the reception on 'Furiosa.' If it all lines up, then we'll go ahead with it." Sadly, it seems those plans are unlikely to come to fruition, barring "Furiosa" getting a surprise second wind at the box office.

While "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" bombed, its performance is a symptom of a larger problem in Hollywood. It's been a rough year at the box office in general; no 2024 release has made more than $800 million worldwide in ticket sales, with "Dune: Part Two" blowing everyone away at the box office with nearly $712 million. The numbers dwindle down the list, with "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" reaching slightly above $657 million. Only 13 movies have crossed the $100 million plateau so far. "Furiosa" isn't the only well-reviewed blockbuster to wildly underperform, as "The Fall Guy" also bombed at the box office, earning under $150 million against a budget estimated in the $130-150 million range.

Of course, the cost of movie tickets and the fact most films go to streaming soon after release don't help matters. Additionally, "Mad Max: Fury Road," while profitable, was only a modest box office hit to begin with. Unfortunately, the reality of today's movie industry is even with a big IP or great reviews, there's no guarantee anything will perform well financially. It's a shame, because "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" is made to be seen on the biggest screen possible. But, that doesn't seem to be a selling point for most audiences, as they appear more than comfortable waiting to watch it at home. That means "The Wasteland" is a longshot to get made.