After years of radio silence and speculation, Netflix has officially announced a release date for "The Old Guard 2" — the long-awaited sequel to its 2020 hit starring Charlize Theron. The action-packed franchise is set to premiere on July 2, 2025, nearly three years after filming wrapped in 2022.

Directed by Victoria Mahoney, who takes the reins from original director Gina Prince-Bythewood, the sequel continues the saga of immortal warriors first introduced in the comic-book adaptation. The screenplay is penned by Greg Rucka — creator of the original graphic novel — alongside Sarah L Walker.

Charlize Theron reprises her role as Andy and also serves as a producer. She leads a cast stacked with both returning favourites and new faces, including KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Veronica Ngô, Henry Golding, Uma Thurman, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

According to the official synopsis: "Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors are back, with a renewed sense of purpose in their mission to protect the world. With Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) still in exile after his betrayal, and Quynh (Veronica Ngô) out for revenge after escaping her underwater prison, Andy grapples with her newfound mortality as a mysterious threat emerges that could jeopardise everything she's worked towards for thousands of years. Andy, Nile (KiKi Layne), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) enlist the help of Tuah (Henry Golding), an old friend who may provide the key to unlocking the mystery behind immortal existence."

The sequel's prolonged delay wasn't without reason. In a 2023 interview with Variety, Theron explained the hold-up, citing disruptions both at Netflix and in post-production. 

"Netflix went through quite a changeover. We got kind of stuck in that and our post-production shut down, I think, five weeks into it," she said. "They were going through a lot of changes, and I totally understand it. We finally picked it back up and I'm really excited about it."

Despite the setbacks, anticipation remains high. The original film became one of Netflix's most-streamed titles upon release, earning praise for its grounded action, diverse cast, and emotionally complex characters. 

Fans have long awaited this return to the world of immortal warriors — a world now set to expand with deeper mythology, fresh conflict, and new alliances.

With a firm release date now locked in, Netflix looks ready to reawaken its high-octane franchise. 

"The Old Guard 2" will stream globally on July 2, 2025.

Read more

‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ casts its initial tributes