It’s been 24 years since we’ve seen a new MAD MAX in theaters, but that’s all about to change. According to THR, FURY ROAD – the fourth installment in the MAD MAX franchise – is slated for production next year in Sydney and New South Wales. Director George Miller (who created the first three films) will also be producing through his company, Kennedy Miller. Shooting in Australia is a huge deal for Miller and the country, as this will help Australia grow economically and creatively. This will also help us forget the snore-bore that was Baz Luhrmann’s epic about the Outback, AUSTRALIA. I do appreciate a good love story, but I can’t even recall how many times I gazed at my watch. Another time, another story.

“The production agreements have been a long time in the making and (NSW) Premier Rees and his team have worked like Trojans to ensure this substantial investment comes into this country. Not only does it help fuel the local economy but it means many talented people get a chance to practice their craft and lift their skills.” -George Miller

As for who will be playing Max, we now have three possible contenders. Back in August, we learned that Jeremy Renner was screen testing for the part, and earlier this week, Kate informed us that Tom Hardy (fresh off the critically acclaimed BRONSON) was a possibility to play the Aussie rebel. Now, our friends over at Cinematical have given us word that Sam Worthington (TERMINATOR: SALVATION) has been rumored as a possible candidate.

So far no studio has picked up the rights for MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, but the film already has a reported budget of $100 million. This means Max is going to be running over a lot of baddies and blowing up a lot of shit. I’M IN.

A lot of people think MAD MAX won’t do well without Mel Gibson. What are your thoughts on this? While nothing has been confirmed yet, I personally think Tom Hardy can pull this off flawlessly. Have you seen BRONSON yet? He made insane look so fucking cool.