Mad Max Prequel ‘Furiosa’ to Be Filmed in New South Wales

Producer Doug Mitchell, actor Chris Hemsworth and director George Miller at a press conference to announce the new Mad Max film at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney on April 19, 2021. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

The prequel to Academy Award Winning Mad Max: Fury Road is set to be filmed in New South Wales and is expected to become the biggest film ever made in Australia.

Director George Miller is preparing to shoot Furiosa starring Chris Hemsworth, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Yahya Abdul Mateen II in June 2021 as the fifth instalment of the Mad Max series.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the movie would be the “largest film ever to be filmed” in New South Wales (NSW), bringing an estimated $350 million into the state’s economy and generating 850 jobs.

“This is great news for NSW—Furiosa is expected to support more than 850 local jobs and bring in around $350 million into the NSW economy,” Berejiklian said. “NSW will be home to this major production providing a boost to the economy across the state with filming to take place in a number of locations including in Western Sydney and regional NSW.”

“Our government is incredibly proud of the talent we have, we want to harness it here in NSW,” she said. “We’re using it to create jobs, to build up the industry and to make sure that, Sydney, NSW and Australia are cultural icons.”

Federal Arts Minister Paul Fletcher added that securing the production was a significant win for Australia’s expanding screen industry.

“We are experiencing a boom in large scale global productions coming to film in Australia,” Fletcher said.

“The Australian Government has a clear focus on supporting the Australian screen sector to seize this opportunity.”

Fury Road, the fourth movie, took a total of twelve years to make before raking in $US375million ($485 million) at the worldwide box office and winning six Oscars.

State Treasurer Dominic Perrottet added that there was no better place than NSW to make an international blockbuster.

“We employ 56 percent of the Australian screen industry and we’re open for business,” Perrottet said.

“It’s showtime in NSW and that means jobs not just for the arts, but right across the trades, hospitality and transport sectors as well.”

The $175 million Made in NSW fund, PDV Rebate and the Australian Government’s 40 percent Producer Offset also played a major part in securing the production for NSW.

State Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said attracting Furiosa to NSW was a momentous moment for the local screen industry, which has seen a recent boom in blockbuster productions.

“Everything about Furiosa is as thrilling as it sounds, and I know this major production will further cement NSW’s place as an extremely competitive film production powerhouse for delivering high-end international productions,” Mr Harwin said.

“I am thrilled Furiosa will call NSW home thanks to the support of the NSW Government’s Made in NSW fund.”

Director George Miller said it was great to see the Mad Max franchise return to Australia.

“We are entirely grateful to the Berejiklian Government and for the advice and help extended to us by Graeme Mason, CEO of Screen Australia and Grainne Brunsdon, Head of Screen NSW. The support of the Australian and NSW governments was pivotal. They made it possible for the film to be greenlit, shot in Australia and for the production to be based in our home state,” Miller said.

Miller described Furiosa as a saga, saying that “Whereas Fury Road essentially happened over three days and two nights, this happens over many years,” adding the film was made to be uniquely familiar.

“This will be familiar to those people who know Mad Max, and in particular Fury Road, but also it will be unique,” Miller said.

Miller plans to shoot Furiosa once he finishes post-production on his current film Three Thousand Years of Longing.

AAP Contributed to this article.