The Wasteland

• The Wasteland is envisioned as a prequel set roughly a year before Fury Road, chronicling Max Rockatansky’s gritty wanderings in the devastated wasteland and exploring how he came to rebuild his iconic Interceptor

• George Miller co-wrote a novella and preliminary script, but admits the story is “still not fully evolved” and hasn’t been greenlit for production 

1. Furiosa’s Financial Performance

   • Although critically praised, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga underperformed at the box office (~$160 M globally), raising studio doubts 

   • Miller confirmed that The Wasteland’s fate hinges on how Furiosa resonates with audiences and financiers 

2. Legal & Creative Delays

   • Post-Fury Road, Miller’s 2017 lawsuit against Warner Bros over unpaid bonuses delayed franchise plans until its resolution in 2019 

   • Miller then chose to direct other projects (Three Thousand Years of Longing, Furiosa) before revisiting The Wasteland 

3. Tom Hardy’s Uncertainty

   • While contracted for multiple films, Hardy has stated “I don’t think that’s happening,” reflecting personal reservations given the project’s limbo 

• Creator’s Commitment
  Miller retains creative and legal control over Mad Max IP and has expressed continued interest—even considering passing it to another director if necessary 

• Built-In Momentum
  The Fury Road resurgence ignited renewed enthusiasm. Full scripts and conceptual groundwork exist; it's simply a matter of timing, financial backing, and audience response 

• Realistically, production won't begin until late 2025 at the earliest, with a 2027–2028 release more feasible—if studios decide to move ahead .

Mad Max: The Wasteland remains an ambitious vision—a character-focused prequel to explore Max’s psyche and survival before Fury Road. But its future hinges on multiple fragile factors: box office performance, studio confidence, and Tom Hardy’s alignment.

Current Outlook: 4.5 / 10

• Pros:

  • George Miller’s passion project backed by writing

  • Strong narrative potential exploring Max’s silence and solitude

• Cons:

  • Studio reticence following Furiosa's underperformance

  • Leading man’s hesitations and legal/commercial delays

• Box office and streaming reception of Furiosa

• Further statements from Miller or Warner Bros

• Any updates on casting or greenlight decisions

Bottom Line: While The Wasteland isn’t dead, it currently exists in a high-concept liminal space—beloved by fans and honored by Miller, but waiting for the stars to align before roaring back to life.