After a considerable wait, fans are finally getting a clearer picture of what's in store for The Old Guard 2, the sequel to Netflix's critically acclaimed 2020 action-fantasy film.
Franchise star Charlize Theron previously shed light on the lengthy delays for the sequel, attributing them to significant internal shifts at Netflix. "Netflix went through quite a changeover," Theron explained. "We got kind of stuck in that and our post-production shut down, I think, five weeks into it. They were going through a lot of changes, and I totally understand it. We finally picked it back up and I’m really excited about it. It’s really good. It’s a really important film to us. I only wanted to do it if we could make it amazing. I really love this movie."
In a more recent interview, Theron offered tantalizing new details about the sequel's plot and the profound changes facing the immortal warrior team. "The stakes have never been higher," Theron revealed. "Andy is mortal now, so there's a very real possibility that she could die during any mission this time around."
The first film concluded with significant shifts in the group's dynamic: Andy (Theron) lost her immortality, Nile (KiKi Layne) gained it, and Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) was exiled.
These changes will heavily influence the sequel as Theron elaborated, "We see that Andy’s leadership style has changed. Because she’s mortal now, she’s dedicating however much time she has left to doing the most good she can."
The evolving powers and shifting leadership within the ancient mercenary team promise to inject fresh tension and emotional depth into The Old Guard 2.
For The Old Guard 2, the directorial reins have been passed to Victoria Mahoney, taking over from Gina Prince-Bythewood. The screenplay for this highly anticipated sequel is a collaborative effort between Greg Rucka, who penned the original graphic novel, and Sarah L. Walker.
The first film, The Old Guard, debuted on Netflix in 2020 and proved to be a significant success. Based on the 2017 comic series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, it quickly became one of the streaming giant's top performers. At the time of its release, it even secured a spot among the top 10 most successful original launches in Netflix's history.
Critics also largely embraced the initial installment, with the film earning a strong 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an average aggregate score of 3.7 out of 5, underscoring its broad appeal.
The Old Guard 2 Official Synopsis: Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors are back, with a renewed sense of purpose in their mission to protect the world. With Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) still in exile after his betrayal, and Quynh (Veronica Ngô) out for revenge after escaping her underwater prison, Andy grapples with her newfound mortality as a mysterious threat emerges that could jeopardize everything she’s worked towards for thousands of years. Andy, Nile (KiKi Layne), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) enlist the help of Tuah (Henry Golding), an old friend who may provide the key to unlocking the mystery behind immortal existence.