After a five-year wait, Netflix released The Old Guard 2 on July 2, 2025, a sequel to the 2020 hit that initially broke records during the pandemic. Despite high expectations and the return of Charlize Theron as the immortal warrior Andy, the follow-up has largely been met with disappointment from critics and fans alike.
The original The Old Guard, based on Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez’s graphic novel series, was praised for its fresh take on immortal warriors and Theron’s commanding performance. However, the sequel’s journey to the screen was fraught with challenges. Theron revealed in an interview with Variety that Netflix’s internal changes caused a five-week post-production shutdown, complicating the film’s completion. Yet, the film finally arrived, introducing new cast members like Uma Thurman, whose addition was widely praised.
Victoria Mahoney, who made history as the first woman to direct on a Star Wars movie with her work as second unit director on J.J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker, took over directing duties after Gina Prince-Bythewood departed to helm The Woman King. Mahoney’s enthusiasm for the project was clear; she had repeatedly watched the original during the pandemic and was eager to expand the story. The sequel picks up months after the first film, with Andy and her immortal team operating with renewed vigor. The narrative introduces Quỳnh, Andy’s long-lost immortal lover played by Veronica Ngô, and Discord, a mysterious immortal portrayed by Uma Thurman.
Despite these promising elements, the critical reception has been far from glowing. Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com described The Old Guard 2 as “an emotionally inert slog” with a “dull and underdeveloped script” that offers no compelling reason for its existence. Similarly, Bilge Ebiri of Vulture lamented the film’s “debilitating cheapness,” suggesting it fell short of its potential. Collider’s Shawn Van Horn criticized the film’s heavy-handed exposition, noting that “the whole plot is explained and told to us, rather than shown,” violating the fundamental storytelling principle of “show, don’t tell.” He also found the action sequences “shockingly tame,” a sharp contrast to the original’s more dynamic combat scenes.
On the other hand, The New York Times’ Brandon Yu found some merit in the film, particularly praising Thurman’s presence as a “brilliant addition” that lent “pulp and gravitas” to the expanding mythology. However, Yu also noted the limited screen time shared by Theron and Thurman, lamenting that their climactic confrontation felt too brief despite its intensity.
The script, co-written by Greg Rucka and Sarah L. Walker, has been criticized for overburdening the film with exposition and awkwardly expanding the universe. The story pauses frequently for characters to engage in dull conversations that stall momentum. New character Tuah, played by Henry Golding, is saddled with excessive exposition, and his fighting style blends indistinctly with the rest of the team. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character, Copley, functions more as a plot device than a fully realized character, while KiKi Layne’s Nile shows moments of promise but ultimately succumbs to the film’s draining energy. Even Thurman’s Discord mostly delivers orders and exposition with little conviction until a rushed showdown near the film’s end.
Fans hoping for a satisfying continuation were left frustrated by the film’s massive cliffhanger ending, which sees nearly the entire team captured by Discord, with Andy and Quỳnh reunited and planning a rescue. This unresolved conclusion has led many to assume a third installment is inevitable, though Netflix has yet to officially confirm The Old Guard 3.
Greg Rucka, speaking in a 2020 interview, expressed his hope for a trilogy, stating, “There is a complete three-part story that can be told. God willing, if it’s a success, Netflix comes back and says, ‘Hey, let’s do it again.’ There’s more to tell, and there are questions that we want to answer.”
In 2025, stars Henry Golding and Marwan Kenzari spoke with Decider about the possibility of a third film, expressing uncertainty but optimism. Golding remarked, “It really depends on you guys [the audience],” while Kenzari added, “I think we just all hope that we [get a sequel], as fast as we can. We don’t need a lot of excuses to hang out, on set, and off.” Both joked about their aging bodies and the need to “get cracking” if they want to continue performing the demanding stunts.
Director Victoria Mahoney, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, declined to comment on plans for a third film, stating, “I can tell you that I am not in the room for any of those discussions, but I hope for audiences to have it. I hope for the cast and crew to have it. But I will be long gone.” She emphasized her focus remains on the characters and their honest portrayal rather than franchise planning.
One of the sequel’s standout sequences features Andy walking through time to confront her past, a scene achieved practically in just two takes with in-camera effects and minimal color correction. Mahoney described the sequence as an attempt to capture what it might feel like for someone immortal, revisiting a city filled with memories. This moment was praised for its emotional depth amidst the film’s otherwise uneven tone.
Production delays extended the wait for fans, as principal photography wrapped nearly three years ago. The prolonged post-production period, partly due to industry strikes, allowed the filmmakers to assemble a top-tier talent team that might not have been available earlier, including composer Lorne Balfe and his team, contributing to the film’s final polish.
Charlize Theron, whose career spans decades with notable roles in films such as Mad Max: Fury Road and Atomic Blonde, returns as Andy but appears less engaged this time. Critics note her performance feels “on autopilot,” with the character’s loss of immortality reducing her to a hollow shell of her former self. The sequel’s humor and vitality, present in the original, are largely absent, replaced by a heavier, more monotonous tone.
While The Old Guard 2 currently tops Netflix’s movie charts, its mixed reception and unresolved ending leave the franchise’s future uncertain. The potential cast for a third installment would likely include Theron, Thurman, Ngô, Kenzari, and Golding, but scheduling conflicts, especially Theron’s commitments to projects like Netflix’s Apex, Atomic Blonde 2, and an Apple film with Daniel Craig, may delay production.
For now, fans can stream The Old Guard 2 on Netflix and speculate on what lies ahead for Andy and her immortal comrades. Whether the franchise will continue remains to be seen, but the story’s cliffhanger ensures the conversation—and anticipation—won’t fade anytime soon.
