The Charlize Theron action film The Old Guard was a hit for the Netflix streaming service when it was released in 2020, but the sequel The Old Guard 2 has had an unexpectedly bumpy ride while making its way out into the world. It went into production back in 2022, and filming had to be halted briefly after a fire broke out at the film studio where the movie had been shooting; Rome, Italy’s historic Cinecittà Studios. Then there was a shake-up at Netflix during post-production, so the project got shut down for a while – and then there were reshoots. Theron was quoted as saying that it was back on track and coming soon last summer, but there was still another year left to wait. Now the movie is finally streaming (you can read our review HERE)… which means it’s time to start talking about another sequel! But The Old Guard 2 director Victoria Mahoney has let it be known that if The Old Guard 3 happens, she will not be back at the helm.
Based on a graphic novel series created by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, The Old Guard was scripted by Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The film introduced viewers to a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die who have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. When the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed, it’s up to Andy and Nile, the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary.
Rucka wrote the screenplay for the sequel with Sarah L. Walker and serves as an executive producer alongside Denis Stewart. The Old Guard 2 was produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger of Skydance, Theron, Beth Kono, and AJ Dix of Denver and Delilah, and Marc Evans of Marc Evans Productions. Prince-Bythewood passed the helm over to Mahoney, who has previously directed episodes of multiple TV shows, including You and Lovecraft Country, and was also the second unit director on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. In the sequel, Andy leads immortal warriors against a powerful enemy threatening their group. They grapple with the resurfacing of a long-lost immortal, complicating their mission to safeguard humanity.
Theron is joined in the cast by fellow returning Old Guard cast members KiKi Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Luca Marinelli, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Veronica Ngo, as well as new additions Uma Thurman and Henry Golding.
Speaking with The Direct, Mahoney said that she won’t be back for The Old Guard 3 because other projects stacked up while she was going through the lengthy process of working on part 2. Asked about the possibility of The Old Guard 3, she said, “I’m not in the room. I’m not in that discussion of whether there will be another or not, and this—because, as you mentioned, the duration of this film took me from other projects I have, so I am legally obliged to some other projects. So, I will be for the next six, seven years, on some other jobs. And so someone else will take that mantle in a wonderful, exciting way, and I don’t know what they’re gonna do, but I know it’ll be great, and it’ll be fun, and it will be with great regard and care for the audience, and I will be eagerly awaiting it.“
Are you a fan of The Old Guard movies? If The Old Guard 3 does happen, who would you like to see come in to replace Victoria Mahoney as director? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
