The Old Guard was a monster hit for Netflix in 2020. The Charlize Theron-led film broke records for the streamer, as many migrated towards streaming during lockdown and quarantine amid the summer of the aforementioned year. With such high viewership, a sequel seemed to be inevitable, and the streamer officially greenlit a follow-up in 2021. While production on the second film seemed to be smooth sailing, we have yet to see it, despite production wrapping on the film well over a year ago. Now, one of the stars is giving fans an update regarding what's holding everything up.
Matthias Schoenaerts, who played Booker in the franchise's first flick, sat down with Collider, during which he discussed how production on the sequel is progressing. He was also asked bout when fans can expect to finally see The Old Guard 2, which is directed by Victoria Mahoney and features much of the original cast. While Schoenaerts did not offer a concrete date, his answer did give promise to the sequel becoming available for Netflix subscribers potentially in the near future. He said:
We shot it approximately a year and a half ago, and I think they’re hitting the last stage of post-production. As far as I've understood, I think there's been a switch at Netflix high up. I think there's a different CEO, so that leads to a reconsidering of release, and how and when, and that's not up to me. I don’t know. But I know we’re hitting the last stage of post-production, so it’s gonna show up at some point.
There have been a lot of executive shakeups at Netflix within recent years, and it's possible that new leadership could have a different vision for the slate of upcoming films. Ted Sarandos became co-CEO in July of 2020 alongside Reed Hastings, who stepped down in October of 2023 and was succeeded by Greg Peters. Additionally, Scott Stuber, the head of the company's film branch, is departing this year. While Sarandos and Stuber may have been among the minds to greenlight the sequel in the first place, recent changes may influence which titles the streamer prioritizes in 2024.
However, this doesn’t take away from how much of a hit Old Guard was for the streamer back in 2020, and how many interested people would tune in for the female-led film. Solid action flicks led by big stars feels like a specialty for the streamer, and the follow-up movie would definitely be in line with many of the other movies Netflix is platforming in 2024. With production complete, the second film’s release feels imminent. However, it's still important to note that, with the previous trend of streamers shelving completed projects, fans might also want to consider that possibility.
It's been a while since we've heard word on the film. And, even though this may not be the update fans were hoping for, the knowledge that filming has been completed is still a good sign. Post-production processes vary from movie to movie, and maybe the process is taking so long because the filmmakers want to release the best cut possible. Not only did the first film gain high viewership numbers for Netflix, but The Old Guard also made history for its diversity and inclusion efforts. That’s a strong legacy to live up to and, hopefully, the sequel does the same when it finally releases.
Fans may still expect to wait a while before The Old Guard 2 lands on Netflix. However, in the meantime, they can still see actor Matthias Schoenaerts starring alongside Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne and more in the first movie, which is still streaming on platform. For more information on other films expected to premiere on streaming and in cinemas in the near future, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.
