Gina Prince-Bythewood on how The Old Guard sets up a possible sequel

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

SPOILERS for THE OLD GUARD. Consider yourself warned. Based upon upon the comic series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez, THE OLD GUARD finds Charlize Theron starring as Andy, aka Andromache the Scythian, an immortal warrior who has led other immortals throughout the centuries. As you might imagine, the project was developed with sequels in mind, and director Gina Prince-Bythewood recently spoke with Collider to tease how the film sets up a possible sequel.

During one of the flashbacks seen in THE OLD GUARD, we met Quynh (Veronica Ngô Thanh Vân), one of Andy's first immortal companions. Centuries ago, Quynh was captured and placed in an Iron Maiden and dropped to the bottom of the ocean; not the best fate for an immortal being. THE OLD GUARD comes to an end with the surprising reappearance of Quynh, with little explanation given for how she managed to get out of her previous predicament. When asked whether this open-ending was her plan from the beginning, Gina Prince-Bythewood said:

It was part of the graphic novel, and I always loved it because I felt there would have been a hole, if it didn’t end the way it did. There’s always a fear because you don’t want to annoy an audience. I know how I feel when things are left open, but for me, we told the story. It does have a beginning, middle, and end. And then, there is a hint and a possibility of more, but that’s absolutely up to the audience. Greg has always envisioned this as a trilogy. I know where the story is going and it’s pretty dope. So, if the audience wants more, there’s certainly more story to tell.

As far as whether Prince-Bythewood would want to tackle the next stage of the story herself, the director said, "I would really have to think about that. It’s been two years, and just coming out of it now, I’m eager for a rest. I would probably feel two ways about it. If it continues on, I was the first that established it, but it would probably also bug me and I’d be like, 'Nile doesn’t do that!' So, I just don’t know." As THE OLD GUARD as proven to be reasonably successful for Netflix, I'd place my bets on some form of follow-up. Are you down for a sequel to THE OLD GUARD?

The official synopsis for THE OLD GUARD:

Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. But 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 (KiKi Layne), 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. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (LOVE & BASKETBALL, BEYOND THE LIGHTS), THE OLD GUARD is a gritty, grounded, action-packed story that shows living forever is harder than it looks.

THE OLD GUARD is now streaming on Netflix, so be sure to check out a review from our own Chris Bumbray!