Netflix has landed the rights to The Old Guard, a comic book movie starring Oscar-winner Charlize Theron. Based on the comic by Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernández, the film concerns a secretive group of immortal mercenaries whose existence is threatened after their powers are exposed to the public.
Skydance films is producing The Old Guard, with Gina Prince-Bythewood (Cloak & Dagger) on board to direct, and Rucka himself is signed on to write the screenplay adaptation based on his own original material. Rucka is known for his work on DC’s Wonder Woman, as well as the graphic novel Whiteout - the latter of which was adapted into a film starring Kate Beckinsale. Strong female characters are indeed a specialty for Rucka, so it’s no surprise that Skydance’s The Old Guard has pegged Theron to head up the cast, together with If Beale Street Could Talk’s KiKi Layne.
As reported by Deadline, Netflix has now secured the rights to The Old Guard. It’s another impressive get for the streaming service as they continue their efforts to compete head-to-head with the major studios in turning out genre films with big-name stars attached. Netflix is also in the business of distributing prestige films, and currently is in the mix for a Best Picture Oscar with Alfonso Cuarón’s acclaimed drama Roma.
When it comes to potentially huge action-oriented films with major stars, Netflix’s biggest upcoming project is Triple Frontier, the J.C. Chandor-directed drama starring Ben Affleck and Oscar Isaac. The streamer is also slated to release The Highwaymen, a drama about the lawmen who captured Bonnie and Clyde starring Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson. It may not be an action movie per se, but there will no doubt be plenty of action in Netflix’s other big, recently-announced project, a Hulk Hogan biopic directed by Todd Phillips and starring The Avengers’ Chris Hemsworth.
Theron is no stranger to mixing it up in action movies. She became, in essence, the female James Bond in 2017’s Atomic Blonde, and before that fought side-by-side with Tom Hardy in the Oscar-nominated smash hit Mad Max: Fury Road. Theron says she’s game to return to the world of Mad Max to once again play the indomitable Furiosa, but it remains to be seen if she will ever get the chance. In the meantime, Theron will suit up as an immortal soldier in The Old Guard, which sounds like it will give her yet another chance to display her ability to kick butt, while also flashing her Oscar-winning acting talent.
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Source: Deadline
