Mad Max star Tom Hardy has high praise for Furiosa despite not even seeing it yet – and gives a disappointing update on Fury Road sequel

Mad Max star Tom Hardy has declared himself a "huge fan" of Fury Road prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga... even though he hasn't actually seen it yet.

Directed by George Miller, the new installment charts the 20 or so years that led Charlize Theron's buzzcut-sporting hero up to the events of Hardy's chapter, which was released in 2015. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the titular character, while Marvel's Chris Hemsworth appears as villainous warlord Dementus.

"I'm sure that Furiosa will be a tremendous success, as rightly George, Anya and Chris well deserve," Hardy, who's currently promoting Jeff Nichols' drama The Bikeriders, told Variety recently. "I'm a huge Mad Max fan, and Fury Road fan and Furiosa fan. I haven't seen the film, but I know it's bound to be special because it's come from George."

As for rumored Mad Max: Fury Road sequel The Wasteland, Hardy looked to shoot down speculation in another interview with Forbes, candidly stating: "I don't think that's happening." 

Despite earning hugely positive reviews from both critics and cinemagoers, Furiosa has been struggling at the worldwide box office since it came out on May 24. So far, it's said to have made around $160 million, which isn't ideal when you consider the post-apocalyptic actioner cost $168 million to make.

As for The Bikeriders, Hardy plays Johnny, the unpredictable leader of a motorcycle gang in '60s Chicago. The film is structured around Kathy's (Jodie Comer) accounts of her marriage to wild wheelman Benny (Austin Butler) and how she tried, in the name of love, to still his violent, thrill-seeking nature.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is in cinemas now, while The Bikeriders (finally) releases on June 21. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way across 2024 and beyond.