Charlize Theron says Furiosa being recast for Mad Max prequel is 'a little heartbreaking'

Charlize Theron will not be the star of the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road prequel film centered around her character, Furiosa, and the Oscar winner admits "it's a little heartbreaking."

Theron opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about hearing the news of director George Miller eyeing The Witch's Anya Taylor-Joy, among others, to portray the vehicular warrior in her younger years.

"It’s a tough one to swallow," she said. "Listen, I fully respect George, if not more so in the aftermath of making Fury Road with him. He’s a master, and I wish him nothing but the best. Yeah, it’s a little heartbreaking, for sure. I really love that character [Furiosa], and I’m so grateful that I had a small part in creating her. She will forever be someone I think of and reflect on fondly."

Miller confirmed that he's casting a Furiosa prequel to The New York Times and that he hopes to make it after he finishes up the drama Three Thousand Years of Longing. The concept is based on a backstory he and Fury Road co-writer Nick Lathouris conceived to help Theron fully realize the character in the first film, something that they did for all the main characters. They even wrote elements of it into a second Fury Road screenplay that most people have never read, Miller told the outlet, about Furiosa's life in the Green Place, how she was picked out from the Vuvalini clan of warriors, and how she became the henchman of Immortan Joe.

"Obviously, I would love to see that story continue, and if [Miller] feels like he has to go about it this way, then I trust him in that manner," Theron continued. "I feel like storytelling, on many levels, is really pushing the envelope. We’re seeing shows like Chernobyl, a quintessential Russian story, and you have British actors playing all of these historical Russian characters. There’s something refreshing about it; the emotional impact of the story isn’t lost... We get so hung up on the smaller details that we forget the thing that we emotionally tap into has nothing to do with that minute thing that we’re focusing on."

Miller told The Times he once thought of using CG technology to de-age Theron for the planned prequel movie, but came to the conclusion that, "despite the valiant attempts on The Irishman, I think there’s still an uncanny valley. Everyone is on the verge of solving it, particular Japanese videogame designers, but there’s still a pretty wide valley, I believe."

In the meantime, Theron stars in Netflix's The Old Guard where she continues to prove she still has more badass on-screen roles to whip out.

Related content:

• George Miller confirms next Mad Max film is a Furiosa prequel — without Charlize Theron
• Charlize Theron nailed Mad Max: Fury Road's best scene in one take
• Charlize Theron says Mad Max prequel scripts were written