What Happened to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome?!

Nailing the final entry of a classic cinematic trilogy is always the most difficult to get right. Tasked with sticking the landing and tying the narrative strands across three movies together requires a precise amount of pre-planning that must be executed in ways that both trump its predecessors and satisfy fans at once with a compelling conclusion. Every once in a while, we get perfect trilogy-enders like The Good, the Bad and The Ugly, The Return of the King, or The Last Crusade. But more often than not, we get limp and lackluster results like The Godfather Part III, Jaws 3D, Terminator: Rise of the Machines, Alien 3, Back to the Future 3, Men in Black III, and countless other movies that fail to live up to the first two instalments. That begs the question, where does Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome register on the scale of all-time good or bad final chapters in movie trilogies?
Released four years after the Road Warrior, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was made much differently than the first two films. For instance, Beyond Thunderdome is the first Mad Max movie made without instrumental producer Byron Kennedy, who tragically died in a 1983 helicopter crash. It’s also the only franchise entry to be co-directed by someone other than Miller. In this case, Miller hired his friend and previous collaborator, George Ogilvie, to helm the sequel. While there are plenty more cool tidbits and trivial factoids about the making of the movie, it’s hard to overstate the absence of Byron and the split directorial duties that led to what many believe is the worst Mad Max movie thus far. “Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls, Dyin’ time is here” as we lift the hood and find out What Happened to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome!
Wanna support us? Get your JoBlo Merch right here!
joblo-merch.creator-spring.com/
For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: www.joblo.com
SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Originals here: goo.gl/R9U81J

[@tanmanstudios]

The slander against Back to the Future 3 is insane. It’s one of the best trilogy endings ever

[@ThatSoddingGamer]

Yeah, I was like _"What the hell is Back to the Future 3 doing on the list of lacklustre endings of trilogies?"_

[@instapowah]

Anyone with common sense know Hollywood as of now is just a propaganda machine!

[@sfd4603]

agreed!! we have to go back to correct this timeline

[@tanmanstudios]

@@ThatSoddingGamer it’s especially odd because he begins listing other movies that are so much worse. No way I could compare The God Father 3 to Back to the Future 3

[@ThatSoddingGamer]

@@tanmanstudios It has got to be a case of the writer just personally not liking BttF3 in particular for some reason. Maybe the hate the setting or something.

[@yetisburgeadress]

and once again... Beyond Thunderdome kicked ass when it came out and still does today.

[@yourstruly4817]

"We don't need another hero" is still on radio in my country

[@Bejewelle88]

One of my favourite tunes!

[@MrBoyYankee]

BTTF:3 & MIB3 are exceptional. I take umbridge for that comment.

[@captainchuppachup]

Slandering Back to the Future 3 is illegal!

[@tomgreen4520]

The third one sucks

[@artrobinson9310]

"South New Wales" gets me

[@aaronleverton4221]

5, 4, 3, 1, offblast!

[@originalmroldschool]

I got a laugh out of that one too!

[@sonofdragon5530]

Wait a minute, are you saying that back to the future part 3 and men in Black 3 are both bad third installments because that really pisses me off😡

[@captainchuppachup]

MIB3 I don't have a big issue with but BTTF 3 is a stone cold classic and a great, enjoyable, fun movie!

[@sonofdragon5530]

@@captainchuppachup yeah, but when you compare to men in Black 2 I can honestly agree with them

[@RanaldMcDanald]

Men in Black 2 was horrible. Men in Black 3 was so much better, it was a super fun movie.

[@Djordje_Jovanovic]

2 men enter, 1 man leaves. & it's as simple as that.

[@artboymoy]

Ladies and gentlemen... Boys and girls... DYING TIME'S HERE...

[@wstine79]

Spin the Wheel... Face the Deal!

[@pjhunt4135]

​@wstine79 it's actually "bust a deal....face the wheel"

[@Mayor_Of_Eureka17]

Back to the Future 3 chrip just made a shotgun blast size hole in your credibility.

[@blackamerican40]

RIP Tina 😢🙏

[@shaneh2357dw]

Back to the future lll ? , I must have seen a completely different version, because the one I saw was one of the best times I’ve had at the cinema.

[@wstine79]

This was my first Mad Max movie. The first half of the movie was great. Master Blaster, the fight in the Thunderdome, and road chase climax were awesome.

[@JeffBilkins]

The stuff with the kids was so lame, feels like watching Peter Pan not the wasteland.

[@originalmroldschool]

I liked the kids. It served as a counterpoint to the seedy wasteage in Barter Town, and represented the hope for future civilization. It also actually mirrors the notion of primitive civilizations that emerge from the implosion of a previous civilization that we've seen in other films and in anthropology.

[@andyelliott3198]

Oh come on be fair, Back to the Future 3 definitely was a solid Trilogy ender even if it was a bit cheesy. Alien 3 especially the Assembly Cut has aged like fine wine, and kind of works in the age of dark & gritty genre movies.

[@354Entertainment]

Exactly, i cant hear that bashing anymore about that classic alien movie!

[@fbanget]

Actually just watched this 2 days ago. It's really underrated. I love the Maurice Jarre score that evokes the epicness of his Lawrence of Arabia score.

[@istvanvilmos8400]

If you didn't know both Thunderdome and Lawrence of Arabia were scored by Maurice Jarre.

[@MadMaxBible]

"While the making of Beyond Thunderdome didn't experience as many tragic fatalities or many grave injuries as the first two films.." I'm sorry WHAT? Nobody ever died making those films!

[@originalmroldschool]

I was wondering wtf he was talking about there.

[@NavajoNinja]

"Two men enter! One man leaves!!"

[@rossbabcock3790]

Being an avid Mad Max fan, I thought it was a great movie. Max once again, touched into his small spark of humanity and did the right thing. The action, characters and story was great. Iron Bar wasn't Wez, but Master-Blaster was a hoot. Frank Thring even had his last hurrah. Great movie all around.

[@TheOlmecindian]

I was born in 82 this was a childhood movie and memories

[@Usernamehear]

Same here. In fact over the years after seeing this one I seen the others in reverse order never knowing there was one before it.

[@The_Texorcist]

Two things... BTTF 3 is a great ending to the trilogy While I agree that out of the first three max films its the weakest one that doesnt mean it was bad. I think its a pretty good film myself.

[@reeldub]

I have a particular soft spot for this film. Always a pleasure to see new content from you.

[@L.r.e_motorsport]

As a kid, I LOVED MadMax2 and Thunderdome, but as time has gone by, I think MadMax3 has aged the best, I can rewatch it anytime

[@Dr_1212]

We dont need another Hero 🎶

[@williamdixon-gk2sk]

I've loved this movie since I was 7. Always wondered why they couldn't just give Spence 1 line where he's like, "Oh, hey, paaatnah!" And Max smiles, just a little.

[@originalmroldschool]

Me too! I always figured he was the same guy, and the kid was from him and the blonde girl in Road Warrior.

[@williamdixon-gk2sk]

@originalmroldschool dude, it makes more sense than anything else! Right? " take it easy, Paahtnah." He's a selfish, wasteland murderer but he's also a good dude when he has to be.

[@zv3456u-]

Back to the future 3 is amazing Men in black 3 is a good movie

[@JEEDUHCHRI]

Beyond Thunder Dome is my favorite of all 5 Mad Max’s.

[@SniffHeinkel]

I strongly disagree with the claim that Back to the Future Part III and Men in Black III did not live up to their predecessors. Back to the Future Part III is a direct continuation of the first two films and one of the best sequels ever made. And Men in Black III was far superior to Men in Black II.

[@yetisburgeadress]

One last thing... Why did studio heads not want Miller to direct Contact?

[@istvanvilmos8400]

I can't give you the answer to your question but what I can tell you is that to prevent Miller from suing Warner Bros. they handed him the rights to the first two Mad Max films.

[@MegaSting1981]

Preproduction delays, budget problems and a difference in creative between Miller and WB.

[@littlemiss_76]

Tina Turner had an Australian manager

[@christopherkim7549]

Mad Max series is kind of like Die Hard movies. Every post apocalypse movies after Mad Max is compared to it like every action movies after Die Hard is compared to it.

[@YokRzeznic]

Except that there are only 2 good Die Hard movies and 5 good Mad Max movies.

[@originalmroldschool]

3 Mad Max movies. The other two are Furiosa movies. Their fake Max is nothing more than a side character and is grossly abused by the filmmakers. Mad Max is a trilogy, period.

[@YokRzeznic]

@@originalmroldschool oh wee wee wee cry about it ya little piglet.

[@leoric45]

Loved the original trilogy and I was impressed with Fury Road. Furiosa was a great movie but we wanted Max not Furiosa. I hope somehow they can get Mel back one last time to hand off his iconic character

[@visisydandthevoid]

Born in 1980 and I loved this movie 🤷

[@stevescholz9196]

Great stuff. I love you used some footage from the Adelaide preview of Thunderdome. It was a charity preview event and featured a huge thunderdome built in the foyer, a visit from the "Bigfoot" truck, ( now known as the Amadooka buggy) and a special guest stuntman riding said Buggy. My Friend Catherine and I attended in Costume and theres a shot of us struggling to get to our seats.

[@aaronleverton4221]

Andamooka. It's an opal mining town a couple of hundred kays or so south-east of Coober Pedy, for anyone interested.

[@danielmankowski922]

IMO Back to the Future 3 and Godfather 3 should not be in the same sentence as Jaws 3D or T3. Both BTTF 3 and GF 3 are both good closers to their trilogies…

[@wstine79]

"Who run Bartertown?"

[@yourstruly4817]

MASTER BLASTER

[@adamcade604]

It's Doug Walker's Favourite Mad Max Movie!

[@alienboy1322]

@adamcade606 Who the heck cares about him?

[@aseddon130]

Who the hell dislikes Back to The Future 3? Also, I’d say men in black 3 was better than 2.

[@rafahrynkiewicz8274]

"One of the living" is still a banger

[@originalmroldschool]

My favorite of the two songs by far.

[@brunosa200]

I have serious issues with the back to the future 3 and mib 3 inclusion in the list of bad part 3s...

[@RoyStiffey]

Furiosa was fantastic. Damned shame people didn’t go to see it.

[@visisydandthevoid]

Groceries > Movie theaters 🤷

[@RoyStiffey]

@@visisydandthevoid and yet people still spend money on frivolous things also there have been other movies that did ok.

[@originalmroldschool]

It was billed as Mad Max, but word got out that it was not a Mad Max movie, so few were interested. I certainly wasn't as soon as they declared they were recasting Max. Never mind that they made a mockery of his character.

[@RoyStiffey]

@@originalmroldschool are youu up referring to Fury Road? Because that was a huge success and it was no secret that this new movie was going to be focused on Furiosa.

[@ValleyOfTheWindFan06]

Beyond Thunderdome give us MASTER BLASTER and that's the best part of this film and i love it.

[@ministerofdarkness]

MASTER BLASTER!

[@qwertyqaz1qaz]

Back to the future 3 > Back to the future 2, FIGHT ME!!!

[@Elora445]

I have to be honest here - I agree.

[@chadkimmel8957]

Is Thunderdome the weakest movie in the series, yes. Is Thunderdome a bad movie, no.

[@rodneyclarke6477]

BTTF 3 was Awesome. And I like Thunderdome also.

[@seanrowe6973]

Great recap. I saw this one in the theater as a kid. My first Mad Max movie on the big screen.

[@theoldgods8229]

I love Thunderdome, its a classic 80s spectacle with iconic characters like Auntie, Ironbar, Master Blaster and the pilot and his kid.

[@michaelwilson8461]

Still my favorite movie of the franchise. The new movies have the right look as far as I'm concerned. They are just missing ... something. Doesn't seem to have the heart of the originals. I still watch furry road once in a while, but it never quite feels like Mad Max.

[@samanthamarkle6923]

One of my favorites!

[@MissB2483]

This was the first & ONLY Mad Max film I've ever seen. I was born in 83', so I had no idea that this was a third installment lol. I loved❤ Tina's chain dress

[@writhms]

Men In Black 3 was awesome. It was part 2 that stunk.

[@gaiamazzarina3025]

Capolavoro incompreso ..Mythe e Cosmos . E uno mondo che prova ritrovare una umanità .💯

[@erichobbs4042]

I wasn't a fan when it originally released, because I felt that the Road Warrior was a much better film. But subsequent viewings over the years made Thunderdome really grow on me. Now it is my favourite one of the trilogy.

[@pjhunt4135]

Spooky im actually watching that...right....now. love it ❤

[@brianlagrant9757]

We Don't Need Another Hero is an awesome song, but don't forget Turner sang two songs for the soundtrack. One of the Living is also an amazing song.

[@RoyStiffey]

I dont remember people shit talking this movie when it came out. I still like it.

[@354Entertainment]

lol Alien³ is so underrated, i don't like people who don't like that good movie! The same for back to the future 3...

[@antonsedits]

As a lifelong MM fan, I say part 3 is absolutely fantastic, an amazing continuation of the story. It has all the elements that make MM great. People who hate on it don't know what they're talking about.

[@artboymoy]

I liked this movie alot. Put aside the criticism of it being more family friendly and goofy to it's PG13 rating, it serves as an arc for the world, IMO. The first movie had the world go downhill. The second had it at it's worst. The third shows it climbing back to some sense of sanity. The opening song as well, "One of the Living" is a banger too. Had the soundtrack when the movie came out and it was on rotation in the CD changer. DIdn't know they released the full score. I'll have to see if I can get it at an affordable price. And this is what the Mad Max films are today. It's the new western with the title hero being a catalyst for oppressed or down trodden people to have rise up and stand up to the oppressors.

[@pjhunt4135]

Agreed, the soundtrack was superb

[@christopherkim7549]

What are you talking about? This movie is as good as the first 2.

[@colonelccccc]

BTTF 3 is bad ? That's news to me, I stopped watching at that moment.

[@melvinseriz]

some mistakes here : 2"23 : It wasn't a Mad Max movie during just a half meal. The idea was Hayes' idea and straight away was the idea for MM3. 3"43 : No, you have proofs, in the press, that Ogilvie was hired BEFORE the death of Miller! Despite what Miller said years after. 5'30 : There's no proof they needed to take a US star because of the budget. Miller and Hayes said it was for other reasons... 13"43 : That nightmare scene was never shot, because it's an invention of Joan Vinge, as she told in an interview.

[@PozerAdultRacingTeam]

I just watched it the other day. 2 men enter, 1 man leaves.

[@entertainmentpowerfuchs5744]

R.I.P. Tina Turner. We don't need another Hero

[@justaguy7230]

Hard disagree about bttf 3 and mib 3, which was substantially better than mib 2

[@MichaelMartin-qe5ye]

BTTF 3, Return of the Jedi, and Beyond Thunderdome all seem like they'd make better video games than the other movies, which probably isn't a good sign. I'd say the same about Alien 3, but Aliens has been made into some great games.

[@brianlagrant9757]

I adore this movie. It might be because it was the first Mad Max movie I saw.

[@sauljaso1360]

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was my favorite of the series.

[@Usernamehear]

No matter where you go There you are

[@jsmith6259]

Did you say south new Wales..?

[@timloader]

Haha yes I noticed it immediately, also the pronounciation of Coober Pedy.

[@LukeLovesRose]

BTW, WHY THE HECK is Back To The Future Part III listed with Alien 3 as a weak 3rd entry of a trilogy??? It should be listed with Die Hard With A Vengeance and Return of The King as an example of how to make a great trilogy

[@traillesstravelled7901]

Thunderdome, Tina Turner and Mel Gibson is a highlight of my youth. And despite any problems that film has it's 10 apocalypses and 29 dystopian futures better than most crap made in the last couple years.

[@user-vk3lk1zf3g]

Still my favorite Mad Max movie and with 'Fury Road' being a very close second. I really don't understand the hate this film got. It was describing a part of the timeline that fans were less interested in (i.e., the societies of the future).

[@willythepeachfacelovebird]

It wasn't the end of a trilogy though. The only thing connecting all three is the titular character.

[@AtheistOnTheEdge]

South New Wales? Close enough...

[@toycamera6112]

There's so very many strange creative decisions, especially given that this is a Mad Max film. Aside from the clumsy, jokey way it handles the titular concept of Thunderdome, the real thing that sinks this movie is the children. They bring with them a whole host of jarringly out-of-place whimsical moments that feel more appropriate for a Spielberg film than Mad Max. Max deserved more.

[@YokRzeznic]

South New Wales?

[@glencurtis6052]

Sad that continuity between films is now seen as a 'call back'

[@D-Fens_1632]

I might have to give best third installment to Nightmare on Elm Street 3. Dorks will say Return of the Jedi. Thunderdome isn't a huge favorite of mine but it definitely ranks as a respectable third installment. It has lots of interesting things going for it but I just don't really care about any of the characters. I don't even hate the bad guys.

[@Cycle.every.day.]

It's best viewed as a stand alone, if you compare it to 1& 2 you'll spoil it for yourself.

[@QuixoteX]

It's a masterpiece.

[@himonightbreeze]

I'm kind of bummed Furiosa didn't perform better. It's not bad. You'd be crazy to think it would be better than Fury Road, but it's still a good movie. If I was going to rank them for quality and rewatchability, it would be: The Road Warrior, Fury Road, the original Mad Max, Furiosa, then Beyond Thunderdome.

[@originalmroldschool]

Beyond Thunderdome was the first Mad Max movie I was able to see, being too young for the previous entries up to that time. It was, is, and always will be my favorite. The world building is by far the most complete and expansive. The soundtrack ranks as one of the best scores in cinematic history. Mad Max will always only be portrayed by Mel... anyone else is just doing cosplay. The bad guys are phenomenal, the wide array of protagonists are endearing and memorable. Sorry to have to reiterate, but Fury Road is NOT a Mad Max movie. The wooden dummy they substituted for Mel is only a minor side character. It was a major double middle finger to fans to tease a Mad Max movie and deliver a Furiosa movie instead. Not the same, not equal. There are only three Mad Max movies, period.

[@allanlarsen1824]

I peg your pardon...Back to the Future 3 is a bad ending?

[@clairegresswell]

South New Wales? Are you sure about that...

[@user-lw2ck1dr3y]

FIX THE VOLUME ! .

[@rickfalcon5572]

WTF, almost didn’t get that joke.😆😆😆

[@scotthenthorn]

BTTF III is a perfect ending and MIB III is miles ahead of MIB II. Should’ve gone with Shrek 3 and Austin Powers: Goldmember

[@travisincognito9652]

New SOUTH Wales, not South New Wales...

[@sudeepmore1525]

Why is Terminator 3 a bad ending to a trilogy? The nukes are fired and the post-apocalyptic era begins. It was the perfect ending.

[@sonofdragon5530]

Once in my life, I actually agree with someone

[@DWrathborne]

I think it's mainly looked down on for its descent into self-parody and, in my opinion, unnecessarily added humor. That said, I wouldn't call it a bad film. A little over the top and silly, maybe, but overall, a decent film.

[@YokRzeznic]

Because it was an awful, forgettable movie.

[@RealRoknRollr3108]

'All The Children Say'

[@christianmovienerd6893]

You cant be serious about MIB3... that movie was awesome.. made 650 million and actually had more emotion in it then the previous 2. Im guessing you saw an alternate cut perhaps.. not sure tho.

[@BozPictures]

Jake Dee, do look up the meaning of "live in infamy".

[@troybyrne2916]

South New Wales😂..... New South Wales

[@minkles1330]

South new wales haha

[@robzilla730]

Is there a WTF happened to Return of the Jedi?

[@michaelstaunton1632]

👍👍👍🎥

[@baxterwilson368]

I remember this movie from my childhood mostly due to the Tina Turner song (I couldn’t go five minutes without hearing it back then), but I couldn’t even finish the movie when I tried to watch it a few months ago. I didn’t hate it, but I found the kid stuff so boring.

[@jarellano1014]

Thunderdome is the 2nd Best Max film after Road warrior!!😛😛😛

[@filmbuff2777]

Firstly, Godfather 3 & Men in Black 3 aren't bad. The latter has a fantastic ending, & is better then MIB2 (which I also enjoy). Godfather 3, while flawed, is frankly, still better than any Star Wars movie. Its got a lot of good things in it. Sofia gets so much flack, but I think it is too harsh. She came in at the last minute, & I don't want to hear how bad she is, when Mark Hamill is even less talented. At least Sofia went on to become a respected film director. Its been years since I've seen the Mad Max movies, but I've always enjoyed Beyond Thunderdome. And its pronounced Coober PEEDIE. Not Coober Pedy (although its spelled that way). And the Blue Mountains is in New South Wales, not South New Wales. I met George Miller a few years ago. He's a nice guy.

[@ameliapond1916]

Lordy, Mel Gibson was handsome back in the day