Movies

The Old Guard on Netflix: Who joins Charlize Theron in the cast and what is the film about?


The Old Guard could be Netflix’s next big blockbuster hit. (Picture: Netflix)

Netflix released one of its hotly anticipated titles on Friday 10 July: The Old Guard, a big blockbuster type movie based on a graphic novel.  

The story follows a team of seemingly immortal warriors as they battle to protect their secrets and the world.

The film, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring Charlize Theron, seeks to put women in action movies in a different light, which is something the director said was important for her to be able to do.

What is The Old Guard about?

Charlize Theron heads up Netflix’s The Old Guard, a new superhero movie based on a graphic novel and adapted for the screen by its co-creator Greg Rucka.

The film centres on Andy (Theron) who leads a group of apparently immortal tight-knit mercenaries who have been protecting the mortal world for centuries.

The official synopsis of the film writes: ‘A group of mercenaries, all centuries-old immortals with the ability to heal themselves, discover someone is onto their secret, and they must fight to protect their freedom.’

The Old Guard cast

Charlize plays Andy, but who else is in the cast for the new Netflix movie?

Nile is a new member of the Old Guard (Picture: Aimee Spinks/NETFLIX)

KiKi Layne

Layne plays Nile, the latest immortal to join The Old Guard.

She is a young soldier whose powers have only recently manifested and is the first new addition to the team for a long time.

Kiki Layne might be familiar to viewers after starring in the Oscar-nominated 2018 film If Beale Street Could Talk.

Schoenaerts plays an Immortal who has survived the Napoleonic Wars, but will he survive whatever’s hunting their secrets in the film? (Picture: Aimee Spinks/NETFLIX)

Matthias Schoenaerts

Schoenaerts plays Booker, a member of The Old Guard who discovered he was immortal during the Napoleonic Wars, where he was – unsuccessfully – sentenced to execution.

Originally from Belgium, the actor Schoenaerts has appeared in The Danish Girl alongside Eddie Redmayne and the spy thriller Red Sparrow which starred Jennifer Lawrence.

From Jafar to Joe, the Immortal (Picture: Aimee Spinks/NETFLIX)

Marwan Kenzari

Kenzari plays Joe, another ancient member of The Old Guard, whose history goes back as far as the First Crusade.

Viewers might recognise Kenzari from the 2019 live action remake of Aladdin, where he played villain Jafar.

He doesn’t have the same powers but he’s just as important to the team (Picture: Aimee Spinks/NETFLIX)

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Ejiofor plays Copley, someone who is not one of the immortals.

Despite not being immortal member of The Old Guard, Copley assists the team by co-ordinating their missions.

Ejiofor will likely be familiar to viewers after appearing across a wide variety of film and TV including Kinky Boots, 12 Years a Slave and Love, Actually.

“36? 36?! But last year I had 37” (Picture: Ed Miller/NETFLIX)

Harry Melling

Melling plays Merrick, a mysterious figure intent on uncovering the secret to The Old Guard’s immortality.

Melling will be recognisable to many as he starred in the Harry Potter films as Harry’s cousin, Dudley Dursley.

Rounding out the cast are Veronica Ngo (Da 5 Bloods) and Luca Marinelli (Trust on FX).

Will there be a sequel to The Old Guard?

While a sequel isn’t confirmed yet, the source material and interest from the creative team would suggest it’s possible.

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood says if enough people watch the movie, the graphic novel has plenty more stories for them to adapt.

Director Gina puts the women at the centre of the action to normalise seeing women in different types of roles (Picture: Netflix)

‘If the story continues it’s absolutely up to an audience,’ she told RadioTimes.com, ‘I know that Greg Rucka has always envisioned his story, when it was a graphic novel, as a trilogy, and actually the second part of his comic book just came out.

‘So I know where the story goes, and it’s pretty great. So if an audience wants it, there’s absolutely more story to tell.’

MORE: Charlize Theron reveals everyone’s been pronouncing her name wrong this entire time

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