Although Mad Max: Fury Road is a truly unique, one-of-a-kind movie, there are still plenty of other films out there for massive fans of the Best Picture nominee. George Miller’s gritty, stylized sequel takes all the brutal action and greasy car chases of his original series and updates it for modern audiences, resulting in one of the flashiest and most outlandish action movies of the past few decades. It’s a wasteland odyssey of immense proportions, and while few other projects have achieved the same quality, there are still many fun movies with similar premises to Mad Max.
George Miller’s critically acclaimed sequel has made a home for itself on Netflix in recent years, and thankfully, many of its clearest inspirations can also be found on the streaming service. These are either movies that directly inspired Miller’s filmmaking style, or simply those that have proven influential within the post-apocalyptic, science fiction, and high-octane chase genres — but they’re all perfect to watch after the Mad Max sequels.
10
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Directed By Justin Lin
The sixth movie in the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast & Furious 6 continues the Fast Saga after the events of Fast Five. Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his gang of international fugitives are offered pardons to help DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) apprehend Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). After learning that Shaw’s plans involve a link to Dom’s past, the gang find that the stakes are even higher than they ever could have imagined.
- Release Date
-
May 24, 2013
- Runtime
-
130 minutes
- Writers
-
Chris Morgan
- Sequel(s)
-
Fast X
, F9: The Fast Saga1
, Fast and Furious 7
The Fast & Furious franchise may not have the same dystopian bite as Mad Max: Fury Road, but its focus on vehicles and high-octane car chases gives certain scenes a very similar style. Much like Miller’s movies, the later Fast & Furious sequels aren’t worried about realism at all — and Fast & Furious 6 features some of the franchise’s most outlandish stunts to date. This is where the series really deviates from the grounded storytelling of its predecessors, and for a while, it was all the better for it.
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Fast & Furious 6 may also not be the best of the Fast & Furious movies, but it’s certainly one of the most exciting. The narrative follows the series’ protagonist Dom Toretto and his friends as they team up with FBI Agent Luke Hobbs in order to clear their criminal records and keep the streets clean from dangerous mercenaries. Its storytelling is brash and bold, but it’s the stunts and action set pieces that make Fast & Furious 6 worth watching.
9
Elysium (2013)
Directed By Neill Blomkamp
Neil Blomkamp’s first film since District 9, Elysium, is a post-apocalyptic action film set in the year 2154, where the people of Earth live in desolation. Those fortunate enough to be wealthy live on Elysium, an orbiting space station that contains state-of-the-art medical facilities and all the comforts a human could want. Secretary Rhodes aims to protect this utopia from Earthly outsiders using strict anti-immigration policies. When protagonist Max sees his life take a turn for the worse, he has no choice but to embark on a mission to save his life that may bring equality to these polarized worlds.
- Release Date
-
August 9, 2013
- Runtime
-
109 minutes
- Director
-
Neill Blomkamp
- Writers
-
Neill Blomkamp
Although Elysium takes a completely different approach to science fiction, there are many thematic similarities between Neill Blomkamp’s movie and the later Mad Max sequels. His film centers around an advanced space station named Elysium that’s home to humanity’s wealthiest individuals, while the lower class is forced to stay behind on Earth — until one man sets out to change this social imbalance.
The shared elements between Elysium and Mad Max: Fury Road run deep, but the clearest connection is both films’ fixation with social dissonance and the strive for equality in a world that’s been overcome by capitalist greed, resulting in a nearly uninhabitable world. Both stories use high-tech action and slick violence to show how quickly humanity would devolve without a fixed social structure, and the politics of the two projects are surprisingly similar.
8
Snowpiercer (2013)
Directed By Bong Joon-ho
Snowpiercer is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film directed by Bong Joon-ho. The narrative takes place aboard a perpetually moving train carrying the last remnants of humanity after a failed climate-change experiment freezes the planet. Chris Evans stars as Curtis, who leads a group of lower-class passengers in a rebellion against the oppressive elite at the front of the train. The film explores themes of class struggle and survival.
- Release Date
-
July 11, 2014
- Runtime
-
126 Minutes
- Writers
-
Bong Joon Ho
, Jacques Lob
, Benjamin Legrand
, Jean-Marc Rochette
Similarly, Snowpiercer is another gritty post-apocalyptic movie that uses its dystopian setting to present a rich, topical demonstration of social class in modern society. Despite all the complex technology and faraway worlds, science fiction can often be the most relevant and powerful genre of storytelling because it speaks to our society from an outside perspective. This is something that both Snowpiercer and Mad Mad: Fury Road do extremely well.
Snowpiercer is based on a popular comic book and follows a group of people living on a large train that provides safety on a desolate, post-apocalyptic version of Earth. With the poorest passengers confined to the back of the train and the wealthiest living in luxury at the front, the film showcases the dehumanizing nature of classism and (much like Fury Road) displays what happens when people dare to break free of this mold. It’s much more mature than its eccentric premise reveals, which is something that Miller’s films are always praised for.
7
Waterworld (1995)
Directed By Kevin Reynolds
Waterworld follows a lone drifter known as “The Mariner”, played by Kevin Costner, who finds himself in a conflict between a group of survivors seeking a mythical place called “Dryland” and a gang of pirates who want to capture and enslave them. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, the 1995 post-apocalyptic action movie is set in a future where sea levels have risen, covering most of the Earth’s landmass.
- Release Date
-
July 28, 1995
- Runtime
-
135minutes
- Director
-
Kevin Reynolds
- Writers
-
Kevin Reynolds
Waterworld is one of the clearest examples of a movie that was directly inspired by Miller’s original Mad Max movies, but that shouldn’t be taken as a criticism. Reynolds takes everything that worked about Mad Max and applies it to a very different setting, unraveling its story in a much more grounded and intimate way. The narrative follows a mysterious traveler on post-apocalyptic Earth who vows to help a woman and her young child reach safety.
Although Waterworld isn’t as action-packed as most of the Mad Max movies, least of all Fury Road, it creates a very similar tone and atmosphere through its vivid world-building and production design. The dystopian future on display in Waterworld is breathtakingly immersive, and that’s what makes the story so engaging from start to finish. It boasts authentic characters, engaging set pieces, and a naturalistic direction that makes every moment feel important.
6
Badland Hunters (2024)
Directed By Heo Myeong-haeng
Badland Hunters is a South Korean action film directed by Heo Myung-haeng and released in 2024 and is the sequel to 2023’s Concrete Utopia. After Seoul is nearly annihilated following an earthquake and the land is turned into a lawless wasteland, a retired hunter named Nam-san returns to the field to save a teenager helped captive by a mad doctor and a group of cultists.
- Release Date
-
January 26, 2024
- Runtime
-
107 Minutes
- Cast
-
Ma Dong-seok
, Lee Hee-joon
, Lee Jun-young
, Roh Jeong-eui
, Earl Baylon
, June Angela - Director
-
Heo Myung-haeng
- Writers
-
Kim Bo-Tong
, Kwak Jae-Min - Prequel(s)
-
Concrete Utopia
Badland Hunters is one of 2024’s most underrated action movies, landing on Netflix without too much of a splash at the beginning of the year and going mostly unnoticed after that. But the film is an excellent twist on the typical post-apocalyptic formula that both draws inspiration from Mad Max and completely subverts expectations with its grandiose, destructive narrative.
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Badland Hunters takes place in the wake of a devastating earthquake in Seoul that essentially destroys the city and leaves its residents without any law and order to control civilization. It’s a fascinating insight into what our world could look like without the legality that we have in place today, and that’s just as terrifying as it is exciting. Landing in the middle range of reviews and scores, Badland Hunters shouldn’t be overlooked, with each viewer deciding upon the movie’s merits for themselves.
5
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Directed By Adam Wingard
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire unites iconic monsters Godzilla and Kong in a colossal confrontation. As these ancient titans clash, humans delve into their shared origins and explore the enigmatic secrets of Skull Island.
- Release Date
-
March 29, 2024
- Runtime
-
115 Minutes
- Cast
-
Rebecca Hall
, Brian Tyree Henry
, Dan Stevens
, Kaylee Hottle
, Alex Ferns
, Fala Chen
, Rachel House
, Ron Smyck
, Chantelle Jamieson
, Greg Hatton
, Kevin Copeland
, Tess Dobré
, Tim Carroll
, Anthony Brandon Wong
, Sophia Emberson-Bain
, Chika Ikogwe
, Vincent B. Gorce
, Yeye Zhou
, Jamaliah Othman
, Nick Lawler - Director
-
Adam Wingard
- Writers
-
Terry Rossio
, Adam Wingard
, Simon Barrett
, Jeremy Slater
The Godzilla franchise may not be the first that comes to mind when discussing movies like Mad Max: Fury Road, but the most recent sequels have switched up the formula somewhat and opted for a grittier, more apocalyptic approach that builds tension and atmosphere in a very similar way. Naturally, the story of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is completely different, and the scale is much larger, but the films’ visions of Earth’s future are surprisingly similar.
Although The New Empire isn’t the strongest of the Godzilla X Kong movies, it’s one of the most intense and action-packed stories in this franchise so far. The narrative follows the two creatures as they’re forced to work together in order to bring down an even greater threat, with the future of Earth resting on their shoulders.
4
Fast Five (2011)
Directed By Justin Lin
The fifth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast Five continues the Fast Saga in a high-octane thrill ride. When Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O’Conner’s (Paul Walker) gang become international fugitives, they are hunted by Luke Hobbs, an agent of the DSS. They also fall foul of a Brazillian drug lord, deciding to perform a heigh-stakes heist in order to steal $100 million from him.
- Release Date
-
April 29, 2011
- Runtime
-
130 Minutes
Fast Five is often considered the sequel where Fast & Furious finally got unrealistic, ditching the moderately realistic storytelling of the first four movies for a much larger, more eccentric narrative about stealing a huge fortune from a Brazilian crime syndicate. The film sees Dominic Toretto and his friends face off against the FBI as they attempt to bring down Rio’s biggest crime boss and take control of his money in the process.
Fast Five is most likely the movie in this franchise that’s most easily compared to Mad Max: Fury Road — not just because of the huge stunts and unbelievable action sequences, but also due to the narrative. They’re both stories about stealing wealth from people who haven’t earned it, whether that’s Hernan Reyes in Fast Five or Immortan Joe in Fury Road. This coincidental similarity makes Fast Five the perfect double-bill counterpart to George Miller’s sequel.
3
Baby Driver (2017)
Directed By Edgar Wright
After being coerced into working for a crime boss, getaway driver Baby is determined to escape his life of thievery and violence to make a life with his girlfriend Debora, However, when he finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail, things start looking desperate.
- Release Date
-
June 28, 2017
- Runtime
-
113 minutes
Despite their very different tones and styles, Baby Driver is a perfect follow-up for fans of Fury Road thanks to its brash, innovative car chases that once again display how talented Edgar Wright is as a director. It’s such an entertaining movie that relies on its swift direction and slick editing choices to keep a fast momentum from start to finish, much like Fury Road. Baby Driver also perhaps touches upon similar themes of those not naturally in a position of power relying on talent and endurance to survive.
Baby Driver doesn’t have any of the sci-fi elements or post-apocalyptic storytelling that made Mad Max such a success, but it proves that great car chases can have a place in almost any genre. It’s part musical, part thriller, part crime drama — but always subversive and exciting, making the finished Baby Driver 2 script a very exciting concept.
2
Dune (2021)
Directed By Denis Villeneuve
Dune the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller of the same name. A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
- Release Date
-
October 22, 2021
- Runtime
-
155 minutes
- Cast
-
Dave Bautista
, Rebecca Ferguson
, Sharon Duncan-Brewster
, Jason Momoa
, David Dastmalchian
, Stephen McKinley Henderson
, Stellan Skarsgård
, Charlotte Rampling
, Chang Chen
, Oscar Isaac
, Zendaya
, Javier Bardem
, Timothée Chalamet
, Josh Brolin
The main difference between Dune and Mad Max: Fury Road is that Denis Villeneuve’s movie is a pure sci-fi epic that takes place on an entirely different planet and much further in the future. Yet in terms of their aesthetics and scope, the two projects have many similarities. Their dusty wastelands and high-tech vehicles are reminiscent of each other, and the sprawling landscapes that make Dune one of the best sci-fi movies ever could arguably have been inspired by Mad Max‘s setting.
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Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune cast is truly stacked, and they take on the challenge of the sci-fi epic’s complex and nuanced characters and relationships.
Both Dune and Mad Max: Fury Road also tackle complicated issues about society and class systems, and the people who are able to seize power in this environment. Villeneuve’s story centers around the regal House Atreides’ occupation of the planet and their interactions with the local population, who are known to steal resources, just like the characters in Mad Max.
1
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Directed By George Miller
A prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa is an action-adventure film that tells the origin story of the headstrong and fearless Furiosa. Set shortly after the beginning of the “end of the world,” Furiosa is kidnapped and brought before a powerful warlord, now forced to work for him. To find her way back home, Furiosa will adapt to the new harsh and arid world as she grows into the Furiosa she becomes known to be.
- Release Date
-
May 24, 2024
- Runtime
-
148 Minutes
- Director
-
George Miller
- Writers
-
George Miller
, Nick Lathouris
Ultimately, audiences looking for another fix of the post-apocalyptic action in Mad Max: Fury Road needn’t look further than Miller’s prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The film centers around a younger version of Charlize Theron’s character from Fury Road, exploring how she was separated from her family and forced to survive in the wasteland. It’s just as flashy and action-packed as its predecessor, and it fills in plenty of gaps between movies to help flesh out this universe even more.
Since Furiosa‘s poor box office performance makes Mad Max 5 unlikely, this movie could be the final installment in the iconic franchise — yet it couldn’t have ended on a fiercer, more powerful note. The story encapsulates everything that’s great about these movies, with immense set pieces and hilariously offbeat characters, but it still maintains that level of thematic grandeur that gives it such an epic scale. It’s the perfect follow-up to Mad Max: Fury Road, and it proves that nobody can make these movies quite like George Miller himself.
Mad Max: Fury Road is the fourth film in George Miller’s long-running sci-fi franchise, with Tom Hardy starring as Max Rockstansky, a vagabond who lives on the road in an apocalyptic wasteland. When Max comes across a cult group that keeps its people in fear and under control with a monopoly on water and other crucial supplies, he joins up with Imperator Furiosa, a warrior woman leading a rebellion against the cult’s leader, Immortan Joe.
- Release Date
-
May 14, 2015
- Runtime
-
120 Minutes
- Director
-
George Miller
- Writers
-
George Miller
, Brendan McCarthy
, Nick Lathouris
