If there was one movie that represented the “stiff upper lip” attitude that some industry folks had during the pandemic, it was Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard. That feature — a Netflix Original that presumably everyone would have forgotten about had it been released alongside its expected competition — became positive proof that Streaming Was The Future. It looked like a summer blockbuster, quacked like a summer blockbuster, and who cared if you were watching it in your home? And “in those uncertain times,” it was probably a good idea to bet everything on at-home audiences, even if the economics didn’t really make any sense.
Five years later, Netflix will release Victoria Mahoney’s The Old Guard 2 on its service in a very different environment than the first one. They intended for it to come out years ago — believe it or not, principal photography was finished in 2022 — but company turnover and an on-set blaze ensured it would stay shelved. The iron cooled a long time ago, and the Charlize Theron-led action-fantasy flick is now hitting small screens on the same day that the new Jurassic World will smash into the big one. Will it be able to compete? As far as we can tell from the trailer Netflix dropped on Friday, probably not. Props for casting Uma Thurman as the bad guy, though.
Peep it:
Here’s a synopsis for The Old Guard 2:
“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. Directed by Victoria Mahoney, and also starring Uma Thurman, ‘The Old Guard 2’ is an emotional, adrenaline-pumping sequel, based on the world created by Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernandez.”
The Old Guard 2 will make its Netflix premiere on July 2, presumably where it’ll live on and on until the asset fire-sale.