The Old Guard doesn't arrive on Netflix until next week, but there are already plans for the future if it's a hit.
Talking to Digital Spy, director Gina Prince-Bythewood revealed that writer Greg Rucka – who also wrote the comic book it's based on – imagined The Old Guard as the start of a trilogy.
But as Prince-Bythewood pointed out, whether we get to see that play out on screen depends on one major thing: "It is about the audience, does the audience want to see more? Obviously you hope an audience wants to see more.
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"I know that Greg Rucka, who wrote the graphic novel in the script, he always envisioned this as a trilogy. I know where the story goes, and it's pretty great. So if the audience is eager for it, there's definitely more stories to tell."
Rucka has already written the second in the series, The Old Guard: Force Multiplied, so at least we'll always have that if the Netflix sequel doesn't pan out.
But if The Old Guard is enough of a success to warrant a sequel, it doesn't look like Prince-Bythewood will have any trouble getting the cast back.
"We're ready to go," Matthias Schoenaerts told Digital Spy, with Luca Marinelli adding "of course" they're interested in returning to their roles.
Prince-Bythewood also spoke to Digital Spy about casting Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne in the lead roles of Andy and new recruit Nile, saying there was more to the roles than just being good at action.
"It's not just about training, it's not just about learning the choreography. We have to believe that you are badass and courageous and a warrior. [Charlize] certainly has that and she brought that," she reflected.
"It was the same thing I saw in KiKi Layne. KiKi has never done a film like this before, but in that audition I believed her and I was excited to be able to build on that, that innate strength that she had, the innate vulnerability.
"And so the fact that those two got to work together and train together and feed off each other, the veteran and the rookie, was really dynamic and I think they brought that to the screen as well."
The Old Guard arrives on Netflix on July 10.
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Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
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