Watch Mad Max in release order: Mad Max (1979), Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior), Beyond Thunderdome, Fury Road (2015) and Furiosa (2024). Furiosa is a prequel that ends where Fury Road begins, so story order puts it first, but Fury Road is the better first watch.
- Titles
- 5
- Films
- 5
- Watch time
- 9 hours
- Box office
- $714 million
- Avg IMDb
- 7.1
Mad Max movies in release order
Here is every Mad Max title in the order it came out, 1979 to 2024: 5 films.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mad Max | 1979 | Film | 1h 31m | 6.8 |
| 2 | Mad Max 2 | 1981 | Film | 1h 36m | |
| 3 | Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | 1985 | Film | 1h 47m | 6.2 |
| 4 | Mad Max: Fury Road | 2015 | Film | 2h 1m | 8.1 |
| 5 | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | 2024 | Film | 2h 29m | 7.4 |
Mad Max timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mad Max | A few years from now | 1979 |
| 2 | Mad Max 2 | The Wasteland | 1981 |
| 3 | Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | Bartertown | 1985 |
| 4 | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | The Green Place to the Citadel | 2024 |
| 5 | Mad Max: Fury Road | The Citadel | 2015 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 2 titles here. In release order you start with Mad Max (1979); in story order you start with Mad Max, set in A few years from now.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Mad Max into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with Mad Max and go in release order.
The whole thing is 9 hours. At two hours a night that is about 5 evenings.
The three highest rated: Mad Max: Fury Road (8.1), Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (7.4), and Mad Max (6.8).
Every Mad Max movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1979 · Film · 1h 31m
Mad Max
In the ravaged near-future, a savage motorcycle gang rules the road. Terrorizing innocent civilians while tearing up the streets, the ruthless gang laughs in the face of a police force hell-bent on stopping them.
Why it matters: Max's origin as a cop before the fall.
- Starring
- Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, and Hugh Keays-Byrne
- Director
- George Miller
- Box office
- $100 million
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 89%
No. 02 · 1981 · Film · 1h 36m
Mad Max 2
Max Rockatansky returns as the heroic loner who drives the dusty roads of a postapocalyptic Australian Outback in an unending search for gasoline. Arrayed against him and the other scraggly defendants of a fuel-depot encampment are the bizarre warriors commanded by the charismatic Lord Humungus, a violent leader whose scruples are as barren as the surrounding landscape.
Why it matters: The Wasteland and the fuel war; often called the best.
- Starring
- Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, and Michael Preston
- Director
- George Miller
- Box office
- $25 million on a $2 million budget
- Scores
- Rotten Tomatoes 93%
No. 03 · 1985 · Film · 1h 47m
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max becomes a pawn in a decadent oasis of a technological society, and when exiled, becomes the deliverer of a colony of children.
Why it matters: Bartertown and the Thunderdome.
- Starring
- Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, and Helen Buday
- Director
- George Miller and George Ogilvie
- Box office
- $36 million on a $10 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 80%
No. 04 · 2015 · Film · 2h 1m · 5th in story order
Mad Max: Fury Road
An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order.
Why it matters: One long chase; the best first watch in the series.
- Starring
- Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Hoult
- Director
- George Miller
- Box office
- $379 million on a $150 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 97%
No. 05 · 2024 · Film · 2h 29m · 4th in story order
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
As the world falls, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe. The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
Why it matters: Furiosa's origin; ends where Fury Road begins.
- Starring
- Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and Tom Burke
- Director
- George Miller
- Box office
- $174 million on a $168 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 90%
Mad Max box office and budgets
The 5 Mad Max films with reported numbers have grossed $714 million worldwide on about $330 million in combined budgets, roughly 1.9 times what they cost. The biggest is Mad Max: Fury Road at $379 million, 53% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ($174 million) and Mad Max ($100 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Mad Max 2, which made 12 times its $2 million budget. The weakest was Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga at 1.0 times its $168 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Mad Max movies
Across 4 rated titles, Mad Max averages 7.1 on IMDb. The top of the list is Mad Max: Fury Road at 8.1, then Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (7.4) and Mad Max (6.8). At the bottom: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (6.2) and Mad Max (6.8).
- Mad Max: Fury Road8.1 · RT 97%
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga7.4 · RT 90%
- Mad Max6.8 · RT 89%
- Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome6.2 · RT 80%
Who appears in the most Mad Max movies
Mel Gibson leads with 3 appearances as Max Rockatansky, ahead of Hugh Keays-Byrne (2) and Bruce Spence (2). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mel Gibson | Max Rockatansky | 3 | Mad Max (1979) to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) |
| Hugh Keays-Byrne | Toecutter / Immortan Joe | 2 | Mad Max (1979) to Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) |
| Bruce Spence | The Gyro Captain / Jedediah the Pilot | 2 | Mad Max 2 (1981) to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) |
| Josh Helman | Slit / Scrotus | 2 | Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) |
| Nathan Jones | Rictus Erectus | 2 | Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) |
| John Howard | The People Eater | 2 | Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) |
Mad Max directors and creators
2 filmmakers have directed or created Mad Max; George Miller has the most, with 5.
- George MillerMad Max (1979), Mad Max 2 (1981), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
- George OgilvieMad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
How long it takes to watch every Mad Max movie
All 5 titles add up to 9 hours. That is about 5 two-hour evenings, or 1 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga at 2h 29m.
The 4 best rated films: Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Mad Max, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Everything takes about 10 days.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Upcoming Mad Max movies
- Mad Max: The WastelandDate to be announced
Common questions
What order should I watch the Mad Max movies in?
Watch Mad Max in release order: Mad Max (1979), Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior), Beyond Thunderdome, Fury Road (2015) and Furiosa (2024). Furiosa is a prequel that ends where Fury Road begins, so story order puts it first, but Fury Road is the better first watch.
How many Mad Max movies and shows are there?
There are 5 titles in the Mad Max franchise: 5 films and 0 series, released from 1979 to 2024. 1 more is announced: Mad Max: The Wasteland.
How long does it take to watch all the Mad Max movies?
About 9 hours for all 5 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Mad Max title in chronological order?
Mad Max, set in A few years from now. In release order the first is Mad Max (1979).
What is the next Mad Max release?
Mad Max: The Wasteland, date to be announced.
What is the best Mad Max movie?
By IMDb score, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) at 8.1, followed by Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga at 7.4.
What is the highest-grossing Mad Max movie?
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), with $379 million worldwide. Mad Max films have made $714 million in total.
Who has appeared in the most Mad Max movies?
Mel Gibson, in 3 of them as Max Rockatansky.
What is the longest Mad Max movie?
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, at 2h 29m.
Keep reading
RecapMad Max recap: the story so far5 titles recapped
Skip guideWhat can you skip in Game of Thrones?2 titles you can skip
RecapChainsaw Man recap: the story so far2 titles recapped
Watch order guideHow to watch the One Piece movies in order8 titles · 498 hours
Skip guideWhich Star Wars movies can you skip?5 titles you can skip
Watch order guideHow to watch the Star Trek movies in order26 titles · 735 hours