‘Furiosa’ Delays Release by a Year, ‘Salem’s Lot’ Opening in September 2022

“Furiosa,” George Miller’s prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road,” won’t hit screens until 2024. The hugely ambitious action film was originally scheduled to open on June 23, 2023. Instead, it will hit screens on Memorial Day of 2024, Warner Bros. said on Friday.

In addition, “Salem’s Lot,” the studio’s upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s best-selling novel about vampires, will open on Sept. 9, 2022. “Salem’s Lot” is directed by Gary Dauberman, who oversaw “Annabelle Comes Home” for the studio. It stars Alfre Woodard, Lewis Pullman, Makenzie, Leigh, Bill Camp, Spencer Treat Clark, and William Sadler. “Salem’s Lot” has previously been adapted as a mini-series — a 1979 version featured James Mason, while a 2004 series featured Rob Lowe.

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“Furiosa’s” cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Taylor-Joy will take on the role of Imperator Furiosa, a part played memorably by Charlize Theron in “Fury Road.” That film was a famously troubled and complex shoot, resulting in numerous release date delays as Miller labored to get his vision on screen. It ultimately paid off. The film was a modest box office hit when it opened in 2015, but was adored by critics and scored several Oscar nominations and statues. The film’s reputation has only grown in subsequent years with many cinephiles considering it to be one of the greatest action flicks in history. So far, no studios have announced release dates in May of 2024, so it’s unclear if Furiosa will face a foe even more formidable than Immortan Joe.

By the time the movies hit theaters, WarnerMedia will be no more. The company is being spun off by AT&T and will merge with Discovery. The new entity has been dubbed Warner Bros. Discovery.

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