For over a decade, rumors swirled about a planned anime series called Furiosa, a companion to the iconic “Mad Max: Fury Road” movie. Interestingly, this anime concept was in the works alongside the development of Fury Road itself, led by director George Miller and writer Mahiro Maeda.

Recently, during a Q&A session following a press screening of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” at IMAX Headquarters near Los Angeles, Miller shed light on the evolution of the project.

He disclosed that while the anime series morphed into a live-action film, a tiny fragment from its early stages survived. This remnant came from character sketches by Maeda, a renowned anime artist and Fury Road concept creator.

Miller explained that the script for “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” was finalized even before filming Fury Road commenced. The prequel is about Furiosa’s backstory, chronicling her journey from childhood imprisonment to becoming the formidable Imperator Furiosa.

The cast and crew received this detailed screenplay to ensure continuity and coherence in storytelling.

Surprisingly, the lone element retained from the anime concept found its place in the final Furiosa film: a peculiar accessory sported by Chris Hemsworth’s antagonist, Dementus. Dementus, a menacing wasteland warlord, adorns himself with a teddy bear chained to his person.

This weathered bear, a testament to its survival in the harsh Wasteland, holds significance in the narrative. Its placement on Dementus’s vehicle dashboard hints at its importance, leaving audiences intrigued about its origin and significance, which is best understood by watching Furiosa.