George Miller’s tardy “Mad Max Fury Road” won’t be a sequel to the Mel Gibson-starring flicks. Nor will it be a prequel. In other words, feral kid reprisals, an appearance by Tina Turner and good news for Angry Anderson fans won’t be forthcoming.

Charlize Theron, who is playing the female lead in the film, says the new film is essentially a complete reboot of the whole “Mad Max” series, comparing the new movie to the ‘Snow White’ legacy.

“Like with Snow White And The Huntsman, there is so much potential to re-imagine that world. It’s such an interesting world and how much it still resonates today after 20 years or whatever it’s been. We’re going back to that world but this is not a prequel or sequel or anything like that,” she tells UKPA.

Theron says Hardy isn’t playing the Mel Gibson character, they just happen to be both christened ‘Mad Max’ (or some spin).

“Tom Hardy will be playing Mad Max but this is not the Mad Max that we know from that [film]. Only Tom Hardy can do this Mad Max and my character is a brand new character as well,” she added.

And I imagine Joel Silver will be offering up the same spin when his “Lethal Weapon” reboot hits. Disappointed that Mel Gibson isn’t reprising the Martin Riggs role, the prolific producer will offer up some spiel like “This is a fresh reinterpretation of a literary classic. Martin and Roger are no different to Tom and Huck. With Zac Efron and Edi Cathegi, we have a chance to revisit these characters.. for the first time.”
And no, Efron and Cathegi aren’t attached. But yes, sadly, “Lethal Weapon” is indeed next on the “Old Mel Gibson movies were going to remake” roster.

But back to “Fury Road”, when is it beginning filming?

According to Theron, speaking to today’s The Herald-Sun newspaper, it’ll begin… next weekend.