As for the possibilities in Hardy’s future, he says of the rumored Mad Max: The Wasteland George Miller project, “I don’t think that’s happening.”
Furiosa’s flop seems to have put an end to that franchise
I’m kind of surprised it was considered a flop, it was just as good as Fury Road. It even did a little bit better job at filling out the world and solidifying the characters than FR. It was actually more than just one long chase (as cool as that is) but still had plenty of action and vehicle antics etc. Critic and audience scores are also high.
I think it’s maybe more a reflection of the cinema landscape as a whole or something. Theaters aren’t dead, but I do think they peaked maybe in terms of the insanely inflated box office numbers that have set unrealistic industry expectations for “success”.
I agree with this. I pass by a theater regularly and my spouse and I just haven’t seen any need to go. Personally, I blame their marketing teams. All the trailers are the same, they either give away the whole story or they don’t tell us anything about the story. It’s all action scenes, they all blend together, and just blech. So I don’t go to the theater anymore.
Then the theaters are gross now, people are rude, staff have just given up, it’s not a fun experience for me anymore. Even Dune 2 I just waited until it was out and watched it at home, and had a much better experience.
So I agree, theaters aren’t dead, but they have fallen into a rut of corporate complacency and aren’t trying hard enough to get out of it.
I personally think three things have driven the degradation in the movie theaters
The lack of competition with theatres as monopolies have formed. This has allowed the average theatre to degrade in quality.
Most major “blockbuster” style movies are designed for the international market. Lots of long action sequences with little dialogue. Simple character development and plots for easier translation. They are all pretty boring.
And last, the improvements and price reduction of TV’s and home sound systems. Combined with the fast release of movies onto streaming platforms or pirate sites.
So what exactly is are theaters selling anymore? A shitty service for a shitty product that is better consumed at home.
Bingo. And now that they bought Alamo drafthouse even the good theaters are slipping away.
Fully agree, I have an OLED at home, a good sound system, a giant couch, and I can make a lot more popcorn for pennies compared to them. I’m very happy waiting for something and watching it later.
they either give away the whole story
It feels like they started doing this a decade or two ago and it has been pissing me off ever since. If you have a thriller, don’t show climatic moments from the second half. Ever. If it’s a horror, don’t show the monster.
But otherwise I don’t really see the need to go to the movies except for the few per year I’m excited for. The rest I can stream on my OLED TV.
The story you can’t miss with a huge twist at the end
Oh great! I love twists when I know they’re coming! It wouldn’t be fun if I didn’t know it was coming!
Then they are shocked when I don’t see the point in spending my money on it
I do early matinees and avoid a lot of the worst aspects of the theater experience. Far fewer people, tickets are like $6 and when you get out you still have the rest of the day.
I did make an exception for Dune to see it in iMax and it was worth it, though that might just be lucking out with a decent crowd where people are respectful of eachother’s experience. The baseline of respect people have for strangers hasn’t fully bounced back since the pandemic, sadly.
Flopping is a matter of revenue, not quality.
Another big factor was the Memorial Day weekend. Traditionally, movies released over the 3 day weekend haven’t fared well at the box office.
Specifically, this year, the whole Memorial Day weekend crapped the bed & pulled in the lowest revenue in decades. Dan Murell has a great breakdown on this, if it’s of interest.
Garfield picked up steam in its second weekend, but Furiosa just didn’t have the legs.
Which sucks, because it’s a very enjoyable film.
…That’s not exactly what you would call a definitive ‘no’. If anything, I think that biggest issue would be that he, much like Charlize Theron, would just be too old for a prequel that takes place between Mad Max and Mad Max: Fury Road, and way too old for something that takes place before the original Mad Mad.
Also, Furiosa was fantastic.
I don’t really mind…
Maybe I’m the only one, but I wasn’t enamored by his take on Max. Fury Road is an absolutely fantastic movie and is easily in my top-10 right now, but I credit that much more to George Miller, Charlize, and Nicholas Hoult. Max seemed like almost an afterthought.
I think I need to watch Fury Road again, because seriously, I didn’t like it. Too cliché, too predictable.
The action is just so amazing, as well as the works building. You’re right that is relatively predictable, but it’s not it’s intention to be unpredictable, just a very cool action movie
I’m not a huge Mad Max fan, but I didn’t predict anything in that film. Especially character design. Between the cars, the War Boys, and all 3 of the villains I was surprised each time.
I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Why was the movie so highly praised? I hate everything about it. It’s so cringe, I’m 14 and this is deep, edgy teen crap.
This take is like being mad at supercars for not being practical daily drivers.
It’s a pure action movie. Why would you ever be expecting anything deep?
A suggestion, since you don’t like the plot:
It is a visually stunning movie, try watching it just for the cinematography. IMO… every frame could be a photograph. Here - I’ll grab one, totally random. You can do this close to anywhere in the movie, take a frame - hang it on a wall:
https://i.imgur.com/N4eY5aI.png
Bonus… I could seriously do this all day and come up with amazing shots: https://i.imgur.com/gmhfZ7k.png
I was so glad to have a different MAX, after Mel Gibson proved himself a violent Catholic fascist racist antisemitic misogynist, I mean what sort of person can keep watching the old Mad Max’s and get any enjoyment out of a performance from a human being that is entirely and irredeemable piece of human garbage?
Bad people can make good art. I’d never want to meet him, but I can’t say he didn’t kill it in Signs. I’ve never seen it, but I hear amazing things about Braveheart
I read that Furiosa flopped so that might have something to do with it. Also everyone involved is ten years older now than they were when Fury Road was made so there is that to consider as well. I say give us a few animated Mad Max movies and revisit the live action stuff in 20 years. I’d be happy with that.
Personally, I have no interest in animated versions. The live action spectacle is important. IMO.
And don’t anyone get pedantic about what animation means.
That’s a really fair point. Part of the draw of the Mad Max films is the insane action and chase sequences. It just hits different with live action. It would be tough to pull off that same level of awe inducing spectacle in an animated film.
Aww darn, I was really hoping for a new mad max movie where he takes a back seat to some other character it was so enjoyable the last time.
