It’s pretty much official, Charlize Theron is a bonafide action star and the go-to queen of action movies. Following roles in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Atomic Blonde,” its rumored sequel, and her entry into the “Fast & Furious” franchise, the actress has carved out an additional niche for herself, beyond her dramatic roles, as today’s premier female badass. It works for her and it’s certainly working for audiences. Her latest foray into the genre is “The Old Guard,” about a covert team of immortal mercenaries who are suddenly exposed and must now fight to keep their identity a secret just as an unexpected new member is discovered.
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An adaptation of the graphic novel—written by Greg Rucka and illustrated by Leandro Fernandez—of the same name, Rucka also wrote the movie’s screenplay. Directing it is Gina Prince-Bythewood, most well-known for helming such films as “Beyond the Lights” and “Love & Basketball.” Additionally, the project’s leading lady serves as one of its producers, along with the veteran pair of David Ellison and Don Granger (“Jack Reacher” & “Terminator: Dark Fate”).
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Navigating the non-stop explosions and perilous excitement of ‘Fury Road,’ Theron an ideal choice to play leader once again. Joining her ranks this time are KiKi Layne (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) and Marwan Kenzari (2019’s “Aladdin”). Other members of the cast include Matthias Schoenaerts (“Red Sparrow” & “Far from the Madding Crowd”) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave” & “The Martian”).
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Here’s the synopsis:
Forever is harder than it looks. Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. But when the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed, it’s up to Andy and Nile (Kiki Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (LOVE & BASKETBALL, BEYOND THE LIGHTS), THE OLD GUARD is a gritty, grounded, action-packed story that shows living forever is harder than it looks
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“The Old Guard”—distributed by Netflix—premieres on July 10. Check out the trailer below to see if these protectors can stay protected themselves.