While it was hard for many to imagine a Mad Max movie without Mel Gibson, George Miller made an outstanding choice in casting Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky. Bringing his antagonist Bane-like energy to a protagonist role, Hardy is great in Mad Max: Fury Road. I would love to see Hardy return to the Mad Max series for any future iterations, and I’m sure his franchise return would be welcomed by many. That said, should Hardy not return to the franchise, I have a great idea of who the series should choose to play Max.

Garrett Hedlund's Past Roles Display All The Necessary Qualities To Play Mad Max

Hedlund Has Played Enigmatic Characters

If Tom Hardy doesn’t come back to Mad Max, I would love to see Garrett Hedlund playing Max Rockatansky. Hedlund is seven years younger than Hardy, so he would bring a new and slightly more youthful flavor to the role. Hedlund has been acting for many years, making his debut in 2004 as Patroclus in the historical epic Troy. Hedlund’s key roles include playing the lead role in Tron: Legacy, as well as roles in Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Mudbound, and Four Brothers.

In his career thus far, Garrett Hedlund has already shown the qualities needed to play Mad Max's lead hero. One of my personal favorite Hedlund parts is his ing role in the Coen Brothers film Inside Llewyn Davis. Playing a beat poet named Johnny Five, Hedlund is alluring and mysterious in the role. This enigmatic quality would transfer well to the character of Max, who is at once intriguing and a tough nut to crack.

More recently, Garrett Hedlund has starred in shows such as Tulsa King and Lawmen: Bass Reeves. These series see the actor play more Western-type roles that liken him more to a genre performance. This more Wild West-type beat could easily be transitioned to the Australian outback, making Hedlund a great choice to play Max.

Garrett Hedlund Already Proved Himself As A Leading Movie Star

Hedlund Has Been Leading Films For Over A Decade

Though I have a soft spot for Garrett Hedlund's Inside Llewyn Davis role, I also recognize that the actor can be a leading man as well. He was relatively unknown when he played the part of Sam in Tron: Legacy back in 2010, but did so believably, elevating the sci-fi sequel and holding his own opposite Jeff Bridges. More recently, Hedlund has played the lead in 2023’s Desperation Road and The Tutor.

Tom Hardy became known worldwide for playing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises when he was cast in Mad Max: Fury Road, but Garrett Hedlund is still far from being a household name. Still, Hedlund has already shown that he is fully capable of not only taking on, but flourishing in a lead role. Hedlund’s comfort with being a leading movie star makes him well-suited to take on a Mad Max movie as the next step in his already impressive career.

Mad Max's Next Movie Needs A Fresh Break From Mel Gibson & Tom Hardy

Change Has Always Been Key To Mad Max

Casting Garrett Hedlund in the next Mad Max film would mean parting with Tom Hardy. I, for one, would be sad to see Hardy go, as the actor is part of what made Mad Max: Fury Road the iconic film that it is. Miller could, of course, still cast Hardy in the part, rendering all of this imagining of Hedlund in the role moot. Even though I like Hedlund, I would not be unhappy with this outcome, as Hardy brought great energy to the series.

That said, I think part of the joy of the Mad Max franchise is the sense of novelty each installment brings. Over the course of the Mad Max saga, George Miller has always been more interested in crafting something new than making something with any kind of perfect continuity. Mad Max: Fury Road and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, for example, follow overlapping characters but in films with entirely different paces and tones.

As such, I believe that the Mad Max franchise could benefit from breaking off from its Mel Gibson and Tom Hardy days. A Garrett Hedlund version would provide an interpretation of Max that is novel, fresh, and above all, just different. Making each Mad Max film different is essential to the series, and is something that could be accomplished with Hedlund at the fore.

Mad Max

10.0/10

Movie(s)

Mad Max: The Wasteland

First Film

Mad Max

Cast

Tom Burke, Alyla Browne

Video Game(s)

Mad Max (1990), Mad Max (2015)

Character(s)

Max Rockatansky, Immortan Joe, Furiosa, Rictus Erectus, Angharad, The People Eater, Corpus Colossus, Toecutter, Nux, Dr. Dementus

Comic Release Date

213377,213380

Mad Max is an Australian post-apocalyptic franchise created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. The first three films star Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky, a former police officer who seeks revenge after his family is murdered. Tom Hardy took over the role for 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, which was followed by Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa.

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