Mad Max director George Miller has reassured fans the next installment in the film franchise is not in jeopardy despite heavy rainfall in Australia delaying the project until 2012.

The fourth movie in the series, Mad Max: Fury Road, is a remake of Mel Gibson's original 1979 action picture, with British actor Tom Hardy taking on the lead role.

Film bosses chose the outback town of Broken Hill for shooting because of its baron landscapes, but unusually high rainfall last year turned the desert setting into a "wonderful flower garden".

Filming has been pushed back until early 2012, sparking fears the movie may never happen - but Miller insists studio bosses and cast members are all committed to the venture.

He tells Sydney's Daily Telegraph, "We've built the vehicles. We've designed the movie. The principal cast is locked in. The film is funded. It's all ready to go. We just wait.

"All the contracts are signed. It's a locked-in film. It has been for 18 months now. We will restart pre-production later this year and begin early next year - weather permitting."

Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult also star in the movie.