When Mad Max: Fury Road released in May earlier this year, there were some who were surprised the film ever saw the light of day. A sequel to a cult action series that saw its last installment in 1985, with a new lead actor playing Max, who also happens to be a side character in his own film?
It sound crazy, but Mad Max: Fury Road defied the odds and emerged a huge success. Even crazier is how little of the film changed between director George Miller's first draft of the movie back in 1999 and the finished product that wowed audiences in 2015.
Film editor Will McCrabb took to Twitter to share an "electro-board" (a white board that can be scanned) printout of the first draft for the movie. For the most part, it's remarkably similar to the final film. Max is captured and branded. The wives of Immortan Joe escape. Max joins up with them. Insane vehicular action ensues.
In fact, nearly every major set piece and moment of the movie is laid out here in the original draft. Max, Furiosa (who isn't mentioned by name in the draft) and the girls journey for the fabled green lands, only to turn around and "run the gauntlet". Nux becomes a hero and sacrifices himself to save his new friends. The only moment featured in this early version of the film that wasn't elaborated on in the movie are the men on stilts that can be seen walking through the swamp land later in the film. It's not clear if they originally had a much larger purpose, but Miller took time to etch out a significant portion of this draft for them. Even the design of many of the vehicles stayed the same.
Fans will also be upset to learn that the first draft called for an "exotic mud dance" that didn't make it into the film. A pity.
George Miller's first draft of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD was this electro-board printout, dated 15/3/99. pic.twitter.com/1ekX7rGZiR
— WILL McCRABB (@mccrabb_will) August 13, 2015
Worth mentioning is what the draft says about the film's cast of female characters. In this first draft, Immortan Joe's wives don't yet have names. Instead, each woman is identified with a personality type: funny, weak, idealist and strong. The draft even specifically mentions the chastity belts they wear prior to their escape.
It's a fascinating glimpse at the film's original vision, a vision he stayed true to after more than a decade.
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