Mad Max received a polarized reception upon its release in April 1979, although it won three AACTA Awards and attracted a cult following, while its critical reputation has grown since. Filmed on a budget of A$0.4 million, it earned more than US$100 million worldwide in gross revenue, and held the "Guinness" record for most profitable film. The success of "Mad Max" has been credited for further opening up the global market to Australian New Wave films. The film became the first in the "Mad Max" series, giving rise to three sequels, "Mad Max 2" (1981), "Beyond Thunderdome" (1985), and "" (2015). "A
Mad Max 2 ownership after being bought by Filmways, Inc. a year earlier. AIP's problems affected the release of the film and its box office in the US, although "Mad Max" proved much more successful when released internationally. Warner Bros. decided to release "Mad Max 2" in the United States, but they recognised that the first film was not popular in North America. Although the original "Mad Max" was becoming popular through cable channel showings, Warner Bros. decided to change the name of its sequel to "The Road Warrior". The advertising for the film, including print ads, trailers, and TV commercials, did not