‘The Old Guard 2’ Is one Step Closer and I’m Completely Calm About it

Among the many teasers, trailers, sneak peeks and variety sketches that animated Netflix’s Tudum 2022 event, there was one that might have seemed small compared to the other big hitters featured, but that sent me spiraling into a textbook fangirling episode—and that was the The Old Guard 2 segment.

The action-packed The Old Guard premiered on Netflix in 2020, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and based on Greg Rucka’s graphic novel series—who also curated the movie’s script. Its story follows a group of mysterious immortals who find their way into most of humanity’s wars and battles as they welcome a new member into their team—and it has given fans pretty much everything you could ever ask for in a story that revolves around immortality. Found family trope? Check. Everyone is some level of queer? Check. Enemies to lovers who have been together for centuries choosing each other again and again? Check. Heartbreak and longing? Check and check.

You see how there are quite a few reasons why The Old Guard’s relatively small but fiercely dedicated fandom is desperately waiting for news and sneak peeks at its sequel—and while Tudum 2022 didn’t reveal much, a little bit of information is better than nothing at all. The Old Guard 2, directed by Victoria Mahoney as Gina Prince-Bythewood moves onto the producing team, is currently in post-production—after having wrapped principal photography in Rome just a day before Tudum 2022.

So, it’s definitely time to gather what we actually know about the movie that the fandom affectionally nicknamed “2 Old 2 Guard” to prepare for its release.

Release date

First things first, when is that release going to be? Given that Netflix still hasn’t announced a proper date or even a vague time period, it’s all speculation so far. We know that it will be sometime in 2023—maybe in the summer since that’s when The Old Guard first premiered on Netflix. Hopefully, as post-production continues and we can get our hands on actual sneak peeks of the movie we’ll also learn more about when we’ll be able to see it.

Characters old and new

What’s certain is that the whole gang from The Old Guard will be back for the sequel. Starting with Charlize Theron’s Andy, (un)known to history as Andromache of Scythe, the oldest of them all—roughly six thousand years old and counting. The new hairstyle sported by Theron in The Old Guard 2 set photos was enough to send the fandom into a frenzy—rightly so.

Nile Freeman, played by KiKi Layne, will also return—still the youngest immortal of the group but not as inexperienced now as she was when she first discovered her abilities in The Old Guard. Matthias Schoenaerts and Van Veronica Ngo are both set to reprise their roles as immortals Booker and Quynh, who shared the final scene of the first movie. Luca Marinelli and Marwan Kenzari are also ready to return as centuries-long husbands Nicky and Joe. 

Is the fact that a good chunk of The Old Guard 2 was filmed in Italy, Marinelli’s home country, enough to hope that this new sequel will feature more of Nicky and Joe? As an Italian myself I choose to think that it is. Give me more of the OG enemies to lovers, please.

Chiwetel Ejiofor will also return as the ex-CIA agent turned hunter turned once more into an ally for the immortals Copley, and we know by now that there will be two shining new additions to the cast—Henry Golding and Uma Thurman. It has not been revealed yet who exactly they will play, but reading The Old Guard comics might provide some clues—dare I say maybe some love interests? Maybe?

Immortal shenanigans

Even though it didn’t offer much in terms of reliable info on The Old Guard 2’s premiere, the segment of Tudum 2022 dedicated to the franchise was enough to familiarize us all with the gang again—from Theron and Layne promising that audiences will not be disappointed by the finished product before rushing back onto set, to Marinelli and Kenzari joking about the correct pronunciation of Tudum.

(image: Netflix)