Where to watch the Mad Max franchise in Australia

Mad Max fever has sparked once more as Australia’s own Chris Hemsworth takes the globe with Anya Taylor-Joy to promote new instalment, Furiosa.

The franchise, created by George Miller, first created international hype with the original Mad Max released in 1979. The story continued with a second film, The Road Warrior in 1982 and a third titled Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in 1985.

Furiosa releases late May.
(Image: Warner Bros)

Thirty years later, Max Rockatansky’s story was revived in 2015 with Tom Hardy taking the lead in Mad Max: Fury Road. Perhaps it was this story where the curiosity around Furiosa was sparked, played by Charlize Theron.

Now Anya takes on her origin story in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. With the fifth instalment waiting for release, we discover all the details including where to watch all the previous movies.

What is Mad Max about?

The original films are set in dystopian Australia, where Max (Mel Gibson) is a highway patrolman in the areas where criminals forage for gasoline and scraps. After a terrible event by a motorbike gang, Max sets out for revenge.

Mel Gibson’s version of the film progresses throughout the next two films.

Fury Road is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland in the desert where the best and scarce commodity is petrol and water. Humanity is completely broken underneath a tyrannical ruler.

Tom Hardy & Charlize Theron in Fury Road.
(Image: Warner Bros)

Tom Hardy’s version of Max is a man of very few words hoping to find peace after the loss of the wife and child. Instead, he meets Furiosa – a woman who rebels against the ruthless leader in search of her homeland, the ‘Green Place’, with a group of female prisoners.

The upcoming 2024 film is a different take on the series with the perspective of young Furiosa who was snatched from the ‘Green Place of Many Mothers’ and into the hands of warlord Dementus.

Furiosa attempts to survive and find a way home as two tyrants wage war for power.

When does Furiosa release?

Furiosa has a cinematic release in Australia on May 24, 2024.

Where to watch all movies in the Mad Max franchise:

The first four movies in the franchise are available for Apple TV+ in Australia. But to simplify your streaming process, we’ve narrowed down all the platforms each movie is available on.

The original Mad Max (1979) is available for streaming on Stan, Prime Video, Google Play and Apple TV+ in Australia.

Mel Gibson was the original Max.

The second film, Mad Max: The Road Warrior, is available for streaming on Apple TV+ in Australia. As for the third, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome can be streamed on Binge, Apple TV+, Foxtel, Goggle Play and Prime Video.

As for the most recent 2015 film Mad Max Fury Road, it can be streamed on Netflix, Apple TV+ and Prime Video.

Unfortunately, which streaming platform Furiosa will be shared to remains unknown.

Stream all the Mad Max films on Apple TV+ from $12.99/mth, with a 7-day free trial.

Stream Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome on BINGE from $10/mth, with a 7-day free trial.

Stream Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome & Mad Max Fury Road on Prime Video from $9.99/mth, with a 30-day free trial.

What order should you watch the Mad Max franchise?

Unfortunately, there are various contradictions in the Mad Max franchise, meaning the timeline can be quite difficult to understand. Tom Hardy’s Mad Max: Fury Road is a complete reboot of the original series telling a different version of the story.

However, it has been confirmed Furiosa is a prequel to the 2015 Fury Road movie.

Therefore, those curious about watching the Mad Max franchise can begin with the original trilogy with Mel Gibson, then Furiosa and finishing off with Fury Road.

Where did they film Mad Max in Australia?

The 1979 version took to various locations around Melbourne, Victoria including B100 coast road, Gasworks in Port Melbourne, South Lawn Car Park, rocky coves along Port Philip Bay and May’s farm.

Furiosa’s filming locations took inspiration from the original films. The 2024 crew took to Sydney’s southern suburbs in Kurnell – which was one of the locations for Beyond Thunderdome and Broken Hill where The Road Warrior was filmed. Additionally, it was filmed in Hay in the western Riverina.

As for Fury Road, filming was supposed to take place in NSW however production was postponed and predominately filmed in Namibia. Some scenes were shot however in Potts Hill in Sydney’s south-west and Penrith Lakes in Western Sydney.

Profile Tia Thomas Senior Digital Content Producer

After completing a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in Journalism and Media Production, Tia began her career in media 2022. She writes on the Now To Love website, particularly for the legacy brand TV Week and manages its social media platforms. She is currently the Senior Digital Content Producer on Now To Love, writing predominately for TV Week while managing all its social media platforms. It is here she can combine her professional and personal passions for reality TV, drama, celebrity, Australian and International TV – and donning her favourite clothes for a red carpet to interview some of television’s best.