The Old Guard (2020)
- Gina Prince-Bythewood originally wanted a completely different ending for the film, but test audiences preferred the one we see today.
- Before Charlize Theron was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
- During the filming of The Old Guard, Charlize Theron improvised one of the most famous lines in the movie.
The Old Guard is a 2020 American superhero action film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, based on Greg Rucka's graphic novel. Charlize Theron stars as Andy, the leader of a small group of immortal mercenaries who have been secretly protecting humanity for centuries. When a mission exposes their existence and a pharmaceutical executive, played by Harry Melling, captures one of the team to experiment on their regenerative abilities, Andy and her warriors must fight to rescue their comrade while discovering that a new immortal — a young Marine named Nile, played by KiKi Layne — has awakened.
Charlize Theron's performance combined her established action credibility with the emotional weight of a woman who has lived for millennia and is beginning to question whether her endless existence has accomplished anything meaningful. The axe-and-sword fight choreography blended modern gun combat with ancient weapons in a distinctive style. The Old Guard debuted on Netflix and was viewed by 78 million accounts in its first four weeks.
