Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome them, as Max, still alive in the desert, wanders on to places unknown. "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" was the first "Mad Max" film made without producer Byron Kennedy, who was killed in a helicopter crash in 1983 while location scouting for the film. While the film was in development before Kennedy's death, director George Miller was hesitant to continue without his producing partner. "I was reluctant to go ahead," said Miller. "And then there was a sort of need to – let's do something just to get over the shock and grief of all of that." A title card at
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