With the long-awaited release ofFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga, the overallMad Maxfranchise has once again been thrust into the mainstream spotlight. The series started its engine way back in 1979 with director George Miller’sMad Max.Since then, it has become a multimedia juggernaut recognized the world over and beloved for its unique look andmany weird and wild characters.
At the same time, just because it has a colorful cast and a sprawling world doesn’t mean theMad Maxfranchise is perfect. The lore and overall timeline is a bit confusing, and there’s a lot of ground to cover with ancillary media like novels, video games, and comics. Therefore, it can appear daunting for those new to Miller’s post-apocalyptic creation.
If you’re one of those newcomers who was beckoned by the chaotic, action-packedFuriosabut doesn’t want to watchevery singleMad Maxmovie in orderto prepare, here’s what you should watch at the very least before checking out Miller’s latest creation.
Released in 2015,Mad Max: Fury Roadis a hard-hitting, visually-stunning watch. It centers on Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), who gets swept up in a feud between the vile ruler of the Citadel, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron). This marks her first appearance in theMad Maxseries, and between the action, drama, and worldbuilding the film brings, it’s quite an impressive one. After all, it gotHideo Kojima to go see it four times.
In terms of theMad Maxtimeline,Fury Roadtakes place years afterFuriosa, so there’s an argument to be made that it should be saved for after aFuriosascreening. However, giving it a watch first can makeFuriosaa more interesting viewing. Knowing the title character and who she ultimately becomes ahead of time adds a layer of intrigue to her origin story. It can be rewarding to know her final form and watch what she goes through to reach it. Think witnessing Anakin Skywalker’s journey to become Darth Vader in theStar Warsprequels decades after the completion of the original trilogy.
Not to mention, if you’re a bit unsure if what you’re getting into stylistically withFuriosais for you,Fury Roadis similar in aesthetic and tone. It can act as a good primer in that regard as well. If you like whatFury Roadhas to offer and want more, then you may go scratch that itch withFuriosaafterward.
There’s no denying the pop culture influence and overall science fiction awesomeness of the original Mad Max trilogy.Mad Max,Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, andMad Max Beyond Thunderdomeare all worth a watch decades after their premieres, and Mel Gibson’s rendition of Max Rockatansky remains iconic. With that said, these movies aren’t all that essential to one’s viewing ofFuriosa.
The main reason why you can watchFuriosawithout having seen theMad Maxtrilogy is time.FuriosaandFury Roadare set in the mid-21st century, with the original trilogy spanning the mid-1980s to somewhere between the late 1990s to the early 2000s. These sets of films are so far apart chronologically and their casts are so radically different that, in terms of the core narrative, passing on the trilogy won’t impact your understanding ofFuriosamuch at all.
The original trilogy may not be related to Furiosa at all
Then again, what if you simply want to learn as much about the lore of this universe as possible? Well, you might still be better off skipping the trilogy, or looking at it as its own entity. Whether the first threeMad Maxmovies truly are in the same continuity asFuriosaandFury Roadremains a hot topic. Miller hasn’t shared a concrete verdict, and fans continue to debate if Gibson and Hardy are the same Max, if they’re related, or if the name is more of a mantle passed from person to person.
All of that is to say that ahead ofFuriosa, youcouldwatch all of the existingMad Maxmovies to prepare if you so desire. If you’re seeking narrative cohesion and nothing more, though, your best bet is to stick withFury Roadalone. It ties in the closest toFuriosa, forming a highly entertaining duology with it.
