First look at Netflix’s The Old Guard sees Charlize Theron lead squad of immortal mercenaries
The first look at Charlize Theron’s new Netflix film, The Old Guard, in which she plays a thousands year old Andromache.
Simply going by Andy in the modern day, Charlize plays the warrior who leads a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries and have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries.
The Old Guard premieres globally on Netflix on July 11 and follows the mercenaries who have a mysterious inability to die and Andy has died hundreds of times over.
Things get interesting when the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed.
But then it’s up to Andy and Nile (Kiki Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group get rid of the threat of those who seek to copy and make money from their power by any means necessary.
The film based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and also stars Marwan Kenzari and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Described as gritty and grounded, the action-packed story that “shows living forever is harder than it looks”.
Fighting terrorists, traffickers and bad guys in general for centuries takes its toll and is something Charlize wanted to convey in her performance.
She told Vanity Fair: “It was important to feel the weight of thousands and thousands of years on her.”
“The worst part for her is just feeling like she’s not doing anything. So what is the point, you know? She’s lost faith, not just in herself but in humanity. I think a lot of people can relate to that at this moment in time.
“We go through periods in life where we just look at the world and go, Oh, my God… You just feel like you’re pushing a rock up a mountain.”
Charlize plays Andromache of Scythia from Ancient Greek mythology who name translates to “man-fighter” or “battler of men”.
Now known as Andy, she fought in some key battles over the centuries including as a soldier for the Union in the US Civil War.
The other mercenaries on her team have also battled in some key moments in history including one who fought alongside Napoleon and two who fought in the Crusades.
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“This is an elite, small army of people with a great set of abilities. They don’t die easily,” Theron said.
The Oscar-winning actress also serves as producer on the film which asks some pretty tough questions about the world.
Theron explained: “From the first moment I read Rucka’s graphic novel, I felt like there was great potential to make this thing feel really very relevant and have it ask some real questions about humanity.”
“Is what we’re doing enough? Is what we’re doing actually changing anything? Are we making better or are we making the world worse?”
The Old Guard premieres on Netflix on July 11.
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