South African actress Charlize Theron arrives for the premiere party of the film "The Burning Plain" in Los Angeles, September 14, 2009. [Agencies]

LOS ANGELES – Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy are in negotiations to star in "Fury Road," this century's installment of the "Mad Max" movie series from writer-director George Miller.

Despite his long association with the fourth movie, Mel Gibson is not reprising his iconic role of Max Rockatansky, the hardened ex-cop in a future beset by gas shortages and marauding gangs.

That job goes to Hardy, the British-born actor who stole scenes as Handsome Bob in Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla." ("RocknRolla" has proved to be a launch pad for Hardy, who booked a role in Christopher Nolan's "Inception" as well. He also starred in "Bronson.")

Theron is playing the female lead.

Story details are being kept under wraps; what's known is that the movie takes place a short while after the story detailed in 1985's "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," which would keep Mad Max relatively young.

The filmmakers are eyeing a summer 2010 shoot in Australia. The movie will be an Australian production that Warner Bros. will distribute.

"Road" has been in the works for more than a decade, with Gibson attached to star at one point.

Theron appears next in this fall's "The Road," the big-screen adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel.