Netflix has released a sequel that not only meets its eternal buzz but sets the bar higher for what action spectacles can be. The Old Guard 2 took the world charts by storm on release, topping the English Film List at No. 1 with 37.5 million views and breaking into the Top 10 in all countries ranked. The buzz is so intense, even the first film has found itself back in the Top 10, demonstrating this epic of immortal fighters still has some serious clout.
For a quick recap, the first Old Guard introduced viewers to Andy—short for Andromache of Scythia—played by Charlize Theron. She commands a clandestine band of immortal mercenaries: Booker, Joe, Nicky, and the newest addition, Nile. These aren’t high-gloss superheroes—they’re ancient soldiers tormented by personal tragedy and an unrelenting sense of responsibility. The movie closed on betrayal, heartbreak, and the strange reappearance of Quynh, Andy’s lost friend, who spent 500 years imprisoned on the ocean floor.
The Old Guard 2 takes place six months later. Andy is in a crisis on a personal level—her immortality might be wearing off. Booker is in exile. And Quynh, having returned from her torture, is no longer the friend she used to be. But the biggest change comes from an entirely new character: Discord, played by Uma Thurman, a century-old immortal with a worldview as opposite from Andy’s as can be.
Thurman has described Discord as “shrouded in mystery, very unlike the movie’s hero, Andy,” and it’s the conflict of these philosophies that is the emotional core of the sequel. While Andy never quite loses faith in mankind, Discord is happy to set it to the flames.
Their conflict is not just physical, though their fight scenes are electrified—it’s ideological. Director Victoria Mahoney, who replaced her for the sequel, made sure this wasn’t another action movie. According to Mahoney, the film is “a meditation on what it means to carry the weight of eternity and still have faith in something.”
The cast chemistry is as strong as ever. Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Veronica Ngô all return, joined by Henry Golding as Tuah, a mysterious figure who is tied into the immortals’ ancient history. The experience of returning to work with the cast, according to Theron, was “effortless,” she explains, “We just picked up where we left off. That’s a testament to the bond we built the first time.”.
Off screen, she’s also respectful. Thurman praised Theron for her leadership, production, and performance of her stunts, calling it “humbling and incredible to watch.” Theron recognizes Thurman’s performances in Kill Bill as a standard for action movies for women, confessing to having seen the film “eight times” in cinemas for inspiration for herself.
While The Old Guard 2 certainly delivers on action—with globe-trotting battles and intimate hand-to-hand combat—it also digs deep into its characters’ inner worlds. Andy’s fear of mortality, Quynh’s emotional scars, and Discord’s disillusionment all bring weight to the story. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to ask big questions: What does it mean to fight for humanity when you’ve lived long enough to see it fail, again and again?
Thanks to its character-driven storytelling, sharp directing, and exceptional performances, The Old Guard 2 is not just a sequel—it’s an entire-scale reimagining of what the franchise can and ought to be. With its balance of emotional storytelling and high-level action, it’s easy to understand why the movie is topping charts and making waves worldwide.
Whether you’re here for the epic sword battles, the immortal drama, or to catch two action legends share the screen at long last, The Old Guard 2 is a sequel that checks all the boxes—and could be one of Netflix’s most ambitious follow-ups yet.