Charlize Theron won’t be returning to reprise her role as Furiosa in the next installment of the Mad Max film series. While this news has had a couple months to sink in, Theron admits she’s heartbroken over director George Miller’s decision.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Theron calls the news a “tough one to swallow” while still admitting that she respects Miller and going so far as to call him a master.
“Yeah, it’s a little heartbreaking, for sure,” she said in the interview. “I really love that character, and I’m so grateful that I had a small part in creating her. She will forever be someone I think of and reflect on fondly. Obviously, I would love to see that story continue, and if he feels like he has to go about it this way, then I trust him in that manner. We get so hung up on the smaller details that we forget the thing that we emotionally tap into has nothing to do with that minute thing that we’re focusing on.”
George Miller’s decision to recast Furiosa by a younger actress has nothing to do with Theron as an actress, though. It’s simply a matter of the new film being a prequel to Fury Road. Rumor has it that Miller is currently talking to The Witch’s Anya Taylor-Joy for the role, but that hasn’t been officially confirmed.
Originally, Miller tossed around the idea of digitally de-aging Theron, but says that the technology just isn’t there yet. Frankly, I think that if any 44-year-old actress could pull off looking like they’re still in their 20s, it’s Charlize Theron. But I digress.
Hopefully, the next film will (partially) make up for the loss of Theron by introducing the mass of even more vehicles than we saw in Fury Road, as touted by production designer Colin Gibson. Either way, we’re excited to see what’s next for Mad Max!
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