Mad Max 4 was, a few years back, a project that seemed to be pressing ahead. But then the production office for it shut down, Mel Gibson took a back seat when it came to acting, and it seemed that director George Miller wouldn't be getting to make the film.

Now, however, it seems that things might be moving once more, just without Mel Gibson on board at all. Which strikes us as a little bit odd. To be fair, George Miller has said a year or two back that he didn't think Gibson would be tempted to return to Mad Max, just as he appears to have permanently left Lethal Weapon behind now. And yet the fourth Mad Max film might just be pressing ahead without him.

Over at E! Online, it's being reported that Miller is still some way away from putting the film together, but that some initial casting work appears to have been done. And the actors in the frame are Tom Hardy, from Black Hawk Down, and Charlize Theron.

It's unclear who will be playing who, and indeed just what characters Miller intends to introduce and focus on with Mad Max 4. Furthermore, E's story does stress that there's been no formal studio sign off on any of this. But just the fact that a fourth Mad Max movie finally appears to be moving was enough to get our attention.

Here's the E! Online story. And we'll keep you posted of any further developments.