The Cannes Film Festival premiered the highly anticipated prequel to George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, titled Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, on May 15, 2024. The film explores the origins of the titular character Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy), who was previously portrayed by Charlize Theron in Fury Road. The prequel delves into Furiosa's past and her journey to find her way home after being taken from 'The Green Place of Many Mothers.'
Taylor-Joy, an ambassador for Dior, wore a different designer for the Cannes premiere. She donned a champagne-colored ball gown with Tiffany & Co. jewelry that included a platinum necklace featuring over 68 carats of diamonds and 18-karat white gold diamond earrings and rings.
Chris Hemsworth, who plays the warlord Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, broke the Cannes dress code by not wearing a tie. The Australian actor wore a black jacket, trousers, and shirt with Chopard's Alpine Eagle 41 Frozen watch made of ethical 18-karat white gold and set with diamonds and sapphires.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is set in the post-apocalyptic desert wasteland, where survival is a constant struggle. The film explores themes of love, survival, and the consequences of fighting for those things. Miller had initially intended to make Furiosa as an anime but later decided to create it as a feature film.
George Miller's medical background influenced the world-building in Mad Max. As a doctor before finding filmmaking, he saw people in extremis and drew inspiration from their experiences for the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga faced numerous challenges during production, including natural disasters and a budget that reached $233 million, making it the most expensive movie ever shot in Australia.
The film premiered to mixed reviews at the Cannes Film Festival. While some critics praised Taylor-Joy's performance and the action set pieces, others felt it didn't quite measure up to Fury Road.