Killing Time

THE OLD GUARD Charlize Theron leads a team of mercenaries in the last blockbuster standing…

WIhen Black Widow, Wonder Woman and The New Mutants cleared out of the way of Covid-19 there was one inadvertent beneficiary: The Old Guard. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball), the Netflix adaptation of Greg Rucka’s Image Comics series is now, by default, the biggest comic-book movie hitting screens at the height of this year’s summer season.

“It’s a bit of a strange feeling that suddenly we’re the only action film – the only tentpole – opening,” PrinceBythewood says, taking a break from remote post-production to chat with Teasers. “I know how it must feel for the other filmmakers, to have to move is tough. But I’m also really excited about the fact that our film is on Netflix, so we get this opportunity to share it.”

Even if The Old Guard had been going head-to-head with Marvel and DC’s biggest hitters, its premise would have been difficult to ignore. Charlize Theron plays Andromache of Scythia, aka, Andy, an immortal warrior who’s been

are just different. They feel so complicated, but also badass, and they don’t use sex as a way to elevate themselves. It’s certainly something I believe in for female characters, especially within the action space.”

Not that The Old Guard will skimp on spectacle. As well as flashing back to Andy’s bloody adventures through history, her many (many) years of experience means she’s a strikingly adept fighter with no fear of death to hold her back. “The fact that you’ve got modern weaponry versus old-world weaponry gives the action a different flavour,” says Prince-Bythewood of Andy’s fondness for a distinctive axe

‘IT TOOK ME LITERALLY FIVE PAGES TO SAY “I’M IN! THIS IS ME”’