Mad Max's Tom Hardy Reveals How He Truly Feels About The Furiosa Movie

Getting cast in a blockbuster movie franchise would be a dream come true for most actors. Given this, you might not expect those who receive that kind of opportunity to willingly give it up or share. But that's why Tom Hardy isn't like most actors. 

Hardy starred in the 2015 action thriller "Mad Max: Fury Road," the fourth overall film in director George Miller's "Mad Max" franchise and the first to star Hardy as the titular character and not Mel Gibson. But "Mad Max: Fury Road" arguably isn't Max's movie. The true main character is Imperator Furiosa, the post-apocalyptic warrior who betrays her boss, the water-hoarding Immortan Joe, and sets out to lead his harem of wives to freedom. It's Furiosa who sets the entire story in motion, not Max; he starts the film as a prisoner of Immortan Joe, and once he escapes he helps Furiosa see her mission through. 

"Mad Max: Fury Road" did incredibly well. It grossed over $374 million worldwide, more than earning back the film's $150 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). It also has a 97% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. Furiosa was such a popular character that the success of "Fury Road" led to a Furiosa spinoff movie, which will be a prequel exploring her origins. Anya Taylor-Joy of "The Queen's Gambit" has taken over the role of Furiosa, and the project is currently scheduled to premiere on June 23, 2023, per IMDb. 

As for Hardy, in 2015 the actor reportedly told Esquire (via The Guardian) that he was contracted for three more "Mad Max" films. The first of those has a working title of "Mad Max: The Wasteland," but appears to be stuck in pre-production. The franchise is clearly focused on Furiosa now and not Max, but Hardy isn't complaining about sharing the spotlight.

In an interview with Esquire, Tom Hardy agreed with critics and fans who thought "Fury Road" wasn't really about Max. "That was ultimately Furiosa's movie, which was fantastic. 'Fury Road.' Furiosa. It was in the title," Hardy explained. 

The British star went on to say that he views "Mad Max: Fury Road" as the start of a new era for the franchise — and that he's onboard. "If you look at it now, it was a changeover of hands in a way, from Mad Max to Furiosa. That's what they're filming now. 'Furiosa,'" said Hardy. "It was a very well implemented changing of the guard. [Miller's] still got Mad Max, but he's split his feed between two characters, and that's really, really cool."

It's not as if Hardy lacks opportunities to front a movie franchise. He's starring in "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," the sequel to his 2018 film "Venom." But the Furiosa movie will be a huge deal for both the "Mad Max" franchise and equal representation in Hollywood, and it's nice to see that the current Max is onboard.