Charlize Theron has given a big update on the long-awaited sequel to her film The Old Guard, and given a reason for the delays.
The action-thriller, which was released on Netflix in July 2020, was written by Greg Rucka and based on his comic book of the same name. Co-starring KiKi Layne and Chiwetel Ejiofor, it followed a group of immortal mercenaries, hunted by an evil scientist.
Shortly after the film’s release, which was well received by critics and audiences, a sequel was confirmed, with Theron confirming in July 2021 that a script had been completed.
Filming of the second film took place from June to September 2022, with Uma Thurman and Henry Golding joining the cast and Victoria Mahoney (Yelling To The Sky) replacing Gina Prince-Bythewood as director.
Now, Theron has shed light on why the film has remained unreleased for so long. “Netflix went through quite a changeover,” she told Variety. “We got kind of stuck in that and our post-production shut down, I think, five weeks into it.”
The actor added that she has no concerns about the film not getting a full release in the end.
“They [Netflix] were going through a lot of changes, and I totally understand it,” she said. “We finally picked it back up and I’m really excited about it.”
In a four-star review of The Old Guard, NME wrote: “Admittedly, The Old Guard checks off a series of familiar plot beats, but director Gina Prince-Bythewood makes the most of a modest budget – and brings sophistication to a run-of-the-mill action thriller by treating it like an in-depth character study.”
“Whether or not Netflix have managed to muscle in on Marvel’s territory remains to be seen, but with so much more to learn about this unique set of characters (and a post-credits scene offers a hint at Netflix’s intentions) it would certainly be a shame if their story ended here.”