Furiosa Footage Reaction: Director George Miller Presents A Very Different Kind Of Mad Max Movie [CinemaCon 2024]

/Film has the CinemaCon scoop here for you directly from the reporting of our own Ryan Scott, served up shiny and chrome. First, "Furiosa" director George Miller took the stage alongside main stars Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy, where he revealed that work on "Furiosa" was completed just last week. Whereas the original 2015 "Mad Max: Fury Road" took place over the course of three total days, Miller emphasized that the prequel film covers the period of 16 to 18 years.

Of course, Miller had nothing but high praise for his leading lady, stepping in for Charlize Theron in this prequel film. Hilariously enough, he described his casting of Taylor-Joy as motivated by the fact that she's exactly the type of person he'd enjoy hanging with during an actual apocalypse. We only think he was joking. He went even further, however, describing the necessity of casting someone who could stand up to the challenges of working in a desert environment — no doubt flashing back to the infamous issues that plagued production on the last film. In his own words, "Anya needed to be someone who you could spend all those months in the wasteland with. Someone who is really resolute and disciplined and very smart."

Taylor-Joy similarly had plenty to say about her new take on the fan-favorite hero: "This is the story of one woman's relentless commitment to impossible hope," she said. "It was such an honor to play this character." Hemsworth, meanwhile, revealed he actually read through the completed script years before filming ever commenced. As the fearsome warlord Dementus, he took direct inspiration from various dictators throughout our own real-world history. He described the villain as "twisted and cruel," though he needed to channel his inner "charisma" along with "spontaneity and a darkness to it."

After the initial round of appetizing quotes, which included tidbits that Miller was "fully running and completely in control of three full units" (according to Taylor-Joy) and that "I've never been on a set that felt both intimidating, loud, noisy, exhausting, and yet completely safe and in control" (said Hemsworth), the director and his stars unleashed the reason everyone assembled into the Las Vegas convention hall in the first place: new and exclusive footage of "Furiosa" that was billed as an "extended sneak peek."

The footage opens with visuals of souped-up vehicles zooming across the desert landscape, before zeroing in on a young Furiosa in one car saying, "If you find him, he's mine." The opening title card of "Her Odyssey Begins" soon follows, leading to harrowing images of Furiosa's kidnapping from the then-vibrant Green Place and her capture by Dementus. It's Furiosa's steely mother, however, who charges her with the mission that will go on to dictate the course of her life: "Whatever you have to do, whatever it takes, promise me you'll find your way home," she says as she hands her child a seed to remember where she came from. Noteworthy, the footage preserves the same digital sheen that leapt out to many in the previous trailers along with the orange color tone and high-flying action.

After the next title card of "A Warrior Awakens," attendees witnessed (see what I did there?) a thrilling car chase sequence with massive explosions and tons of practical effects, causing Ryan Scott to note that it "feels right at home in the 'Fury Road' world." And rest assured, we get to see Furiosa cutting her hair before the reel ends with the final pulse-pounding sequence that boasts an array of combat — not all of which is vehicular. Yeah, we can't wait.

"Furiosa" rides into theaters and Valhalla on May 24, 2024.