Nearly a year after the announcement, The Old Guard 2 is finally gaining momentum as Uma Thurman and Henry Golding join the Charlize Theron-led superhero movie. The Old Guard premiered in 2020 on Netflix and quickly became one of the most popular films on the streamer, clocking in an impressive 186 million hours viewed within the first month. Based on the graphic novel of the same name created by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez, The Old Guard follows a group of immortal mercenaries who, along with a new recruit, go on a revenge mission after their cover is blown.
The Old Guard received rave reviews upon release, with particular praise for Theron’s commanding screen presence and the action sequences. The film features an ensemble cast comprising Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Per Deadline, Most of the cast members will be returning for The Old Guard 2, along with the new additions, Uma Thurman and Henry Golding.
There is currently no word on the characters Thurman and Golding will play in the film, but we can expect they will have prominent roles, whether as friends or foes. Thurman is no stranger to leading action movies, having headlined Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. The Old Guard 2 will mark the first collaboration between Theron and Thurman, which hopefully culminates in an epic showdown between the pair. As for Henry Golding, the British heartthrob is also making a name for himself in the action genre with films like Snake Eyes and The Gentleman. It remains to be seen how the pair integrate into the rich fantasy world of The Old Guard universe.
Victoria Mahoney will be taking over the directorial duties for The Old Guard 2 from Gina Prince-Bythewood, who helmed the first film. She left the sequel, citing scheduling conflicts with another female-centric action film, The Woman King, starring Viola Davis. Mahoney is best known for her 2011 debut, Yelling to the Sky, starring Zoe Kravitz and Jason Clarke. She also served as the second unit director on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Greg Rucka is returning to pen the screenplay.
The Old Guard 2 is Expected to Premiere on Netflix in 2023
The Old Guard 2 is set to begin production soon and will likely debut on Netflix next year. Although, nothing has been confirmed yet. The plot details for The Old Guard 2 are also being kept under wraps, but we know the film will be based on Rucka’s follow-up book, Force Multiplied, and will center on Andy (Theron) as she struggles with her newfound mortality while battling an enemy from her past.
"For her, obviously not being able to die was a burden, and so how do you then lose the thing that you don’t want and realize that you actually do want it and you should’ve probably been more grateful towards it?," Theron said of her character.
Charlize Theron made her MCU debut with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Clea, Strange’s successor as the Sorcerer Supreme and potential love interest. Theron also made a surprise cameo in Amazon’s mature superhero drama The Boys and is set to play the villain Cipher in the last two Fast & Furious movies. It appears the Oscar-winning actress is now fully embracing her action movie persona, and we couldn't be more excited.