Tom Hardy has bad news for fans of his Mad Max

George Miller is planning a fifth Mad Max movie titled The Wasteland, but Tom Hardy has bad news for fans hoping to see his version of Max Rockatansky in the sequel.

Mel Gibson was the first actor to play Mad Max in 1979, with the original trilogy turning him into a global superstar.

Tom Hardy then took over for Mad Max: Fury Road — which we voted the best Mad Max movie of them all. That was followed just a few weeks ago by the largely Max-less prequel Furiosa.

Writer-director George Miller has plans to complete this new trilogy with a film called The Wasteland. But Tom Hardy isn’t so sure.

While promoting new movie The Bikeriders, Hardy was asked about the proposed movie by Forbes, and responded by saying: “I don’t think that’s happening.”

Hardy might be referencing Furiosa’s disappointing box office. The movie grossing less than its budget after nearly a month on release. Making The Wasteland a less viable option, financially.

But he also could be alluding to the fact that he won’t be involved, following trouble on the Fury Road set.

Speaking to The Telegraph about that shoot, George Miller recently said: “Tom has a damage to him but also a brilliance that comes with it, and whatever was going on with him at the time, he had to be coaxed out of his trailer.”

While Hardy said of his relationship with co-star Charlize Theron (in the book ‘Blood, Sweat, and Chrome’): “In hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways. The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times.”

“What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me. I’d like to think that now that I’m older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion.”

But, judging from this new quote, Tom Hardy won’t be rising to that occasion in a Mad Max movie anytime soon.

For more, check out the Mad Max timeline explained. Alternatively, you can check out our list of the best reviewed movies of 2024. We’ve also got a breakdown of all the new movies releasing this month.