Nine years after the release of “Mad Max: Fury Road” in the South of France, George Miller has once again captured the attention of the Croisette. The audience at the Cannes Film Festival’s world premiere of his prequel “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” couldn’t contain their excitement, giving the film a thunderous six-minute standing ovation. The high-octane action film received an enthusiastic response from the crowd, solidifying Miller’s status as a filmmaker to watch.
Taylor-Joy playfully blew kisses into the camera, basking in the applause, while Hemsworth appeared moved as he took in the overwhelming response.
George Miller, the director of the film, expressed his anticipation as he addressed the crowd, acknowledging the hard work that went into creating the film. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to present the film and eagerly awaited the audience’s reaction.
In the post-apocalyptic world before the events of “Fury Road,” the film “Furiosa” introduces Taylor-Joy as the new lead, taking over the role from Charlize Theron. At the beginning of the story, a young Furiosa is abducted and held captive by a band of bandits, led by the warlord Dementus (played by Hemsworth).
At the premiere, Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth displayed a more relaxed demeanor compared to the constant fighting between Theron and Hardy in “Fury Road.” They arrived early and engaged with the crowd outside the Palais, graciously signing autographs and taking selfies with fans. Taylor-Joy playfully stuck her tongue out at the cameras, while Hemsworth appeared to be in high spirits, sporting a white tuxedo jacket that defied the strict Cannes dress code (he had left his bow tie back in Australia).
Warner Bros. co-chairs Michael DeLuca and Pam Abdy graced the red carpet, while Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was conspicuously absent from the festivities. Last year, Zaslav attended Cannes with the HBO series “The Idol,” and he hosted a grand celebration at the Hotel du Cap in Antibes. However, this extravagant event received backlash due to the perception of excessive spending while the media conglomerate was undergoing cost-cutting measures and layoffs. Consequently, Warner Bros. decided to adopt a more restrained approach this year.
The celebration for “Furiosa” took on a more subtle tone, taking place in an outdoor setting near the beach. It was sponsored by Campari, the renowned Italian liquor brand. Attendees indulged in bite-sized servings of artichokes and white fish on crackers. However, it seemed that the organizers aimed to keep costs down, as the food was in short supply. The guest list included the film’s cast, Cannes jury president Greta Gerwig, Cannes president Iris Knobloch, and influential agents Bryan Lourd and Kevin Huvane.
The response to “Furiosa” was overwhelmingly positive, with festival-goers left in awe of Miller’s latest venture. The prequel to “Fury Road” was one of the most eagerly awaited premieres at this year’s Cannes. Warner Bros., which is releasing the fifth installment of the “Mad Max” franchise on May 24 in the United States, is optimistic that the film will replicate or even surpass the impressive $380 million worldwide box office of its predecessor.
With a budget of $168 million, the movie “Furiosa” has a big financial hurdle to overcome in order to turn a profit. However, based on its warm reception at Cannes, it seems like this film is off to a promising start.
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