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The Cannes Film Festival is set to feature the world premiere of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on May 15, as confirmed by the event organizers on Thursday. This film, marking the fifth installment in the esteemed post-apocalyptic series, introduces Anya Taylor-Joy in the titular role of Furiosa, a character previously embodied by Charlize Theron in the 2015 opus, Mad Max: Fury Road. That film, too, had its inaugural screening at Cannes, cementing its legacy within the festival’s history.

US-South African actress Charlize Theron presents the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood California on March 10 2024.
Photo Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

In this forthcoming narrative, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Taylor-Joy’s Furiosa, accompanied by Chris Hemsworth in the role of the antagonist Warlord Dementus, navigates through hostile territories in a quest to return to her origins.

Directed once more by George Miller, the architect behind the franchise, this latest endeavor is slated to be showcased out of competition at Cannes, signaling a continuation of Miller’s long-standing relationship with the festival. Miller’s directorial prowess, spanning genres from the foundational low-budget action film in 1979 that propelled Mel Gibson to fame, through to family-oriented successes like Babe and Happy Feet, has established him as a versatile filmmaker. His film Three Thousand Years of Longing also made its debut at Cannes in 2022, further testament to his varied career.

US actress Anya Taylor-Joy attends the Vanity Fair Oscars Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills California on March 10 2024.
Photo Credit: Michael TRAN / AFP

The narrative journey of the Mad Max series, initiated amidst an imagined Australian landscape grappling with societal breakdown and scarcity of resources, achieved monumental acclaim with Fury Road. This installment not only revived the saga but also garnered six Academy Awards, affirming its critical success and enduring appeal.

US-South African actress Charlize Theron attends the Vanity Fair Oscars Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills California on March 10 2024.
Photo Credit: Michael TRAN / AFP

With the Cannes Film Festival scheduled from May 14 to 25 and Greta Gerwig presiding as jury head, the full roster of films is anticipated to be unveiled on April 11, amongst which Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga stands as a highlight, promising to captivate audiences with its audacious vision.

With AFP.