George Miller is famous for many things, but most people will know him for his exceptionalMad Maxfilms, all of which remain some of the best post-apocalyptic media ever made. BothFury RoadandFuriosabrought the iconic series into the modern era with a fresh new lead and a lot of intriguing backstory and lore to help flesh out its version of a very Australian post-apocalypse. Of course, Miller has done a lot of other things - the movieBabe: Pig in the CityandHappy Feetincluded - but one wouldn’t tag him as a fan of video games.
That might be because, at least publicly, Miller doesn’t have a habit of discussing them. While his likeness is being used inDeath Stranding 2, and he seemingly has a close relationship with its creator, Hideo Kojima, George Miller is seemingly not a huge fan of games. In fact,there is one game in particular he really doesn’t seem to like. Much like othercelebrity interviews about games, Miller has spoken about not just how much he didn’t like this now iconic video game, but also who he would love to see remake it, if only they had the time.
It Has Obtained A Cult Status In Recent Years
2015’sMad Maxmay not be on everyone’s radar, but since its release, it has obtained cult classic status, remaining a solid contender for one of themost underrated video games. It is a sprawling open-world RPG that captures not just the incredibly bleak and brutal world ofMad Maxand its deep love of makeshift cars covered in spikes, but also the rough-and-tumble nature of its protagonist. Offering a deeper insight into the world of the films,Mad Maxis a short but sweet game that, while not perfect, is certainly far from terrible and worth playing for fans.
So,it may surprise you to learn that George Miller, the creator ofMad Max, isn’t a fan. He toldGamingBibleback in 2024 during aFuriosared carpet event that he felt the 2015Mad Maxvideo game “wasn’t as good as [he] wanted it to be.” It was made alongsideFury Road, releasing a few months later to capitalize on theMad Maxfever. Unfortunately, low review scores and middling word of mouth saw it become a commercial failure, which, in turn, likely caused Miller to believe it wasn’t made “at the highest level”,as he toldGamingBible.
According to Miller, he had been approached “many, many times” to make aMad Maxgame, and eventually settled on Avalanche Studios. Everything the studio could need relating toMad Maxwas sent across, and it got to work. For those who’ve played it,Mad Max(2015) is easily one of thebest movie tie-in games, one that absolutely nails the series' iconic car combat and setting.It is a shame that George Miller doesn’t love it as much as the fans, although it isn’t particularly uncommon for creatives to dislike a remake or spin-off of their own work.
Although He Would Never Ask Him
In that same interview withGamingBible, George Miller did hint that he isn’t opposed to moreMad Maxbeing made. However, it’s unlikely he’ll look to Avalanche Studios to make the next one, and, in fact, has a particular developer in mind who he’d like to make it: Hideo Kojima. As mentioned,George Miller and Kojima have become fast friends, with the latter praising the former and referring to him as his “god” and his works as his “bible” after seeingFuriosa. This has led toMiller appearing inDeath Stranding, although in likeness only.
Miller explained toGamingBiblethat he’d like Kojima to tackle aMad Maxgame, but that “he’s got so much fantastic stuff in his own head that [he] would never ask him.” That isn’t exactly untrue, as Kojima has eventurned downDeath Stranding 3, despite having plenty of ideas for it. He is definitely a very busy man, one who has a lot of ambitions and ideas that he wants to achieve in his lifetime. There’s even the upcomingDeath Strandingmovie, which Kojima has no doubt had plenty of involvement with.
Of course,George Miller and everyone else in the world are still hoping that he might attempt to make aMad Maxgame eventually. Miller ended his interview withGamingBibleby stating that he’d be open to another game “if it was someone like [Kojima] who would take it on,” as he has limited knowledge of video games. He’d certainly be in good hands if Kojima did end up making aMad Maxgame, and frankly, I’m inclined there’s a little hope that it could happen eventually, so long as all the stars align.
It’s Basically Death Stranding With More Sand
Hideo Kojima would absolutely be the best person to make aMad Maxgame.Death Strandingis basicallyMad Maxsans all the sand and spiky cars, withDeath Stranding 2even taking place in Australia. It really feels like both games are his way of paying homage to the bizarre, sun-soaked post-apocalypse of theMad Maxsaga, and potentially even his CV for if he’s ever approached. Of course, I’m not saying Kojima is out there looking to make aMad Maxgame, but he and his talented team clearly have the skills to do so.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if Hideo Kojima’s obsession with movies ended up resulting in him attempting to adapt one into a video gameeventually, and there’s no better choice thanMad Max. He’s got a track record for excellent direction of movie stars in his video games, of exciting car-based traversal, and of creating barren yet beautiful apocalyptic open worlds. Throw in Tom Hardy, Anya Taylor-Joy, or Charlize Theron and a cameo from Miller himself, and you’ve got yourself a winning formula. A weird Kojima-esqueMad Maxgame is absolutely what the world needs right now.
There is a part of me that hopes that Kojima sticks with his own outlandish ideas. After all, if he was bogged down by licensed games, even ones as interesting asMad Max, we’d have never gottenDeath Stranding, and that would be a huge shame. However, if he ever does decide to tackle a video game adaptation of a movie, then I hope he picksMad Max, if only to give George Miller the game he’s always wanted and to deliver his own unique vision of whatMad Maxcould be.
