Merrick here...


George Miller's unending quest to return Max..."The Road Warrior"...that cop and driver...to the big screen has not died.

They came close to getting a project going not too long ago, but the effort spun apart due to shifting money values/exchange rates (or something like that). Even after this happened, we continued to hear rumors about work progressing on the - most specifically that futuristic hell cars were already being constructed for this project (I believe WETA may've had something to do with these?), and that Miller was closing on his final casting choices for the leads in the movie.

No comes word, via E! Online, that he's narrowing his casting preferences down to a precious few.

Charlize Theron is ready to go beyond Thunderdome. Mel Gibson, not so much.

Multiple sources tell E! News that the Oscar-winning babe is director George Miller's pick to play the lead female role in the upcoming, Mel-less Mad Max 4.

When he announced that he would begin work on the sequel back in 2007, Miller admitted Gibson was too old for the antihero role of "Mad" Max Rockatansky, and said, "I don't think he would be interested in being involved at all."

Instead, Miller is looking at little-known Brit Tom Hardy, whose credits include Black Hawk Down and Band of Brothers, to play opposite Theron.

...says E! Online HERE.

Hardy, of course, played Picard's weenie clone Shinzon in STAR TREK NEMESIS, and recently appeared in BRONSON (trailer HERE). I think he's a pretty great actor, but I'm not sure I see him as Max. Although, to be fair, whether or not he'd work for the part depends on how the character is being spun this time out...

Last I heard, this film was still called FURY ROAD - a title I really hope they keep because it's both perfect for this mythos, says all that needs to be said, and it gives me wood.

More details as more comes in...