Mad Max return to screen at Cannes Film Festival

Hardy takes on Mel Gibson's former role in Mad Max: Fury Road

The new Mad Max film, Fury Road, will screen at this year's Cannes Film Festival, organisers have confirmed.

The film, which sees Britain's Tom Hardy take on Mel Gibson's role as "Road Warrior" Max Rockatansky, will screen out of competition on 14 May.

Charlize Theron also appears in George Miller's futuristic action drama, set for release in the UK and US on 15 May.

Gibson made his last appearance as Max in 1985 in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the third film in the series.

The original Mad Max, released in 1979, was followed by Mad Max 2, also known as The Road Warrior, in 1981.

Set in a post-apocalyptic universe where biker gangs fight for petrol and water, Fury Road sees Hardy's taciturn loner form an alliance with Theron's Imperator Furiosa.

First mooted more than a decade ago, Fury Road was originally to have seen Gibson return as Max - only for the production to hit problems.

After filming finally began in 2012, scenes originally intended to be shot in Australia had to be filmed in Namibia instead after heavy rain caused flowers to sprout in a formerly arid area of New South Wales.

The full list of films on this year's official Cannes line-up will be announced on 16 April.