Mad Max Movies In Order

Summary The Mad Max franchise has five movies, starting with the original in 1979 and continuing through 2015 with Mad Max: Fury Road.

Viewing options include watching the movies in release order or chronologically, with each method providing a unique experience for fans.

While chronological order follows the story timeline more accurately, watching in release order allows viewers to see the franchise expand naturally.

George Miller's post-apocalyptic action franchise spans decades, and there are different ways to watch the Mad Max movies in order, either through release or chronologically. Miller began the series in 1979 with Mel Gibson playing the lead role of Max Rockastansky. The low-budget film grounded in realism became the unexpected starting point for a franchise that the filmmaker continues to revisit decades later. The Mad Max movies exist in a world where humanity is in a post-apocalyptic state due to a massive war leaving little resources left for the survivors.

With five installments that span several decades, the Mad Max franchise is one worth visiting or revisiting. One question that does come with any franchise that has as many entries or has existed for this long comes with the best viewing order. There are two different options for how to watch Miller's action movies. There is a release order that puts the films in the same order in which they were made. There is also a chronological viewing order that switches up the placement of a few entries based on the Mad Max timeline.

Related All 7 Actors Who’ve Played Mad Max Max Rockatansky has changed significantly since the Mad Max franchise began in 1979, and he's even been played by seven different actors.

Mad Max Movies In Release Order

There Are Five Mad Max Movies

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The Mad Max movies in release order begins with the very first film. George Miller and Mel Gibson's initial movie was released in 1979, although it did not premiere in the United States until 1980. Miller and Gibson then returned with Mad Max: The Road Warrior two years later. The duo rounded out the original trilogy in 1985 with the release of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Miller had to wait three decades to bring Mad Max: Fury Road to theaters in 2015 after its turbulent development. The film's success gave way for the first Mad Max spinoff to be made in 2024, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Mad Max Movies In Release Order Movie Release Date Mad Max April 12, 1979 (Australia), February 15, 1980 (USA) Mad Max: The Road Warrior December 24, 1981 (Australia), May 21, 1982 (USA) Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome July 10, 1985 Mad Max: Fury Road May 15, 2015 Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga May 24, 2015

Mad Max Movies In Chronological Order

Chronological Order Is Different Than Release

Thanks to the stories of each Mad Max movie, watching the films in chronological order creates a different experience than watching in release order. The two viewing orders mostly line up as Max's character arc moves forward with each appearance. However, Furiosa's prequel setting means that it comes earlier in a chronological watch of the franchise than following the release dates.

Mad Max

Mad Max Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Director George Miller Writers George Miller , James McCausland , Byron Kennedy Cast Mel Gibson , Joanne Samuel , Hugh Keays-Byrne , Steve Bisley , Roger Ward , Tim Burns Runtime 82 Minutes

The original Mad Max is the earliest point in the timeline that the franchise has explored. The 1979 film takes place "a few years from now" according to title cards, and there is evidence to back this up. It is believed that Mad Max takes place in 1985 based on markings shown throughout the early days of the dystopian setting. The film follows Max's mission to bring down Toecutter and marks the beginning of his transformation to become "Mad Max" following the death of his family.

Mad Max: The Road Warrior

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Director George Miller Release Date December 24, 1981 Writers George Miller , Terry Hayes , Brian Hannant Cast Mel Gibson , Bruce Spence , Michael Preston , Vernon Wells Runtime 96 Minutes

Mad Max: The Road Warrior follows the original film in both release and chronological order. The sequel takes place three years after the first Mad Max. This means the events of Mad Max: The Road Warrior happen in 1988. The three years between the original film and its sequel allowed the Mad Max world to crumble to the point it became more of a post-apocalyptic landscape where humanity is struggling to survive.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Director George Miller , George Ogilvie Release Date July 10, 1985 Writers George Miller , Terry Hayes , Byron Kennedy Cast Mel Gibson , Tina Turner , Bruce Spence , Adam Cockburn , Frank Thring , Angelo Rossitto Runtime 107 Minutes

The third installment of the franchise, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, is also the third film in a chronological viewing order of the series. The film does not outright confirm when it takes place in the timeline, but it is later than 1999 based on markings about when Captain Walker went to look for help. Screenwriter Terry Hayes has said 15 years passed between installments. That would make Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome's story take place in 2003.

Beyond Thunderdome's setting does not line up with details from the Mad Max: Fury Road's prequel comic about when the nuclear war took place.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Director George Miller Release Date May 24, 2024 Writers George Miller , Nick Lathouris Cast Chris Hemsworth , Anya Taylor-Joy Runtime 148 minutes

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga comes earlier in a chronological viewing order of Mad Max thanks to its prequel setting. Despite marketing materials stating that Furiosa happens 45 years after the franchise's apocalyptic event, the film actually takes place 15 years before the events of Mad Max: Fury Road. While placing the movie's events in a specific year in the franchise's timeline is tricky, Furiosa's prequel setting confirms that it comes before Fury Road in any chronological viewing of the series.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Director George Miller Release Date May 14, 2015 Writers George Miller , Brendan McCarthy , Nick Lathouris Cast Tom Hardy , Charlize Theron , Nicholas Hoult , Zoe Kravitz , Hugh Keays-Byrne , Riley Keough , Courtney Eaton , Abbey Lee , Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Runtime 120 Minutes

Mad Max: Fury Road is the furthest point in the franchise's timeline covered so far, making it the final installment chronologically speaking. The movie repeatedly contradicts its setting in comparison to the original Mel Gibson trilogy. This makes it very difficult to specify exactly when Mad Max: Fury Road happens. However, there is no debate that this film takes place sometime after the original trilogy and Furiosa.

Which Order To Watch Mad Max Movies In

The Mad Max Viewing Order Matters

Image via Warner Bros.

There is no proper Mad Max movie viewing order, as the franchise exists in a rare space where audiences can begin practically anywhere. The looser canon and smaller focus on a serialized story gives viewers a chance to watch any of the films and still understand what is going on in them. Release and chronological orders both have their benefits and can provide different experiences.

If there is a recommended viewing order for the Mad Max movies, release order should prevail over chronological order. Watching the films in order of release dates allows viewers to see the franchise expand as it did in real life. It also creates a more fulfilling viewing experience when watching Mad Max: Fury Road and then Furiosa instead of them coming opposite.