Why isn’t Charlize Theron in ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga?’

With each day that goes by, we get closer to seeing Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga premiere on the silver screen. However, some can’t help but be disappointed by the absence of fan-favorite actress Charlize Theron.

As much as we would have loved to see Theron return to the franchise as Imperator Furiosa, it’s been known that it’s not happening — for now, at least. In Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Anya Taylor-Joy takes up the mantle, portraying a younger version of the beloved character. Now, I know what you’re thinking: watching Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road was so enrapturing that it’s difficult to imagine someone else doing it so well. Perhaps that’s why not everyone was thrilled at the idea of a prequel with Taylor-Joy in the role.

Furiosa’s original actress, for one, has shown her support for the Queen’s Gambit star in this new adventure, but that doesn’t help fill the Theron-shaped hole in fans’ hearts. Taylor-Joy is an incredible performer, that’s a fact, but some still question why Theron isn’t in the prequel film. Thankfully, we already have a clear answer.

Why doesn’t Charlize Theron return as Imperator Furiosa in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga?

Simply put, Theron isn’t in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga due to her age, which doesn’t fit the age range of the character in this film. To some people, this wouldn’t have been a problem. Nowadays, we see so many actors and actresses play younger versions of their characters that this feels like a non-issue. However, the movie’s director, co-writer, and co-producer, George Miller, disagrees.

Miller shared in a 2021 interview with Empire that he actually considered Theron’s return to the role in Furiosa, but eventually decided against it. In his opinion, the de-aging technology that would’ve been necessary to have Theron play young Furiosa simply isn’t advanced enough. More precisely, he worried about the uncanny valley effect, which he feels as though this type of technology hasn’t overcome yet.

To those unfamiliar with the uncanny valley effect, it’s basically that weird feeling we typically get when looking at robots, 3D characters, or even dolls that look almost human, but not quite. If you’ve seen a poor de-aging job in a movie or TV show — and there are enough out there — you can easily see why this may have been a problem for Miller.

For all of our sakes, Taylor-Joy’s casting in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga was probably for the best. Hopefully, we’ll see Theron reprise the role in another installment in the franchise. She’ll surely be up for it.