Mad Max 4, titled Mad Max: Fury Road, has been given the green-light.  Pre-production on the film will start immediately and filming is scheduled to start next year in Sydney and Outback NSW, Australia.

There's a few names still rumored for who might portray Max. Charlize Theron was one, though it seems more likely her name is being considered as a co-star. British actor Tom Hardy is another name in the mix, as is Australian actor Sam Worthington. But don't count out the possibility that Mel Gibson could return. Despite director George Miller having previously said that Mel Gibson was too old, he had this to say:

“It could be Mel, it could be anyone," Miller said.

Maybe Miller saw the trailer for Gibson's latest movie, Edge of Darkness, and is reconsidering, although it is more likely he was just throwing it out there. I'm guessing he's already got his mind set on a new Max and it could very well be Worthington.

The film is said to have a $100M budget and filming is likely to take six months. Six months is a long time by typical filming standards and is a big indicator that Mad Max 4 is going to have a lot of stunt work. Mad Max: Fury Road is shaping up to be one hell of an action film.

Source(s): THR / ABC / News.com.au

Tags: Mad Max: Fury Road