The Old Guard: Charlize Theron leads a pack of immortal assassins

Starring Charlize Theron in the lead role, The Old Guard is set to premiere on Netflix on July 10. The film, based on the comic book of the same name, has Charlize leading a group of merciless assassins who are all immortal. They are in danger of being exposed in this age of technology, and it is now the team's mission to protect their identity whilst also trying to restore order.

In a statement, Charlize Theron said, "What sets the Old Guard apart from other portrayals of immortals in film is that they aren’t gods. They never flaunt or showcase their immortality — they have real personalities with humour and emotion."

Charlize Theron plays Andy in The Old Guard. Talking about her character, the actor said, "They (The Old Guard) fight for what they believe to be the greater good — the betterment of society and the world — and look out for those who need help the most. But she’s become tired and frustrated with her immortality, and when we meet her she is reluctant to continue fighting as it doesn’t seem to have made a difference after all this time."

Kiki Layne plays the newest recruit of the group. Her character is being mentored by Theron's Andy. "I love that we have these two women leading this group and that we got to play with the trope of a veteran/rookie, but do it in an interesting and cool way. The fact that one's an old immortal and another is a baby immortal — I love that dynamic," Layne said.

The Old Guard has been directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Gina spoke about the ensemble and said, "Each of the actors we cast has a soulfulness that makes you believe they’ve been alive for centuries. We’ve also created an incredible ensemble that’s organically diverse and reflects the world I see every day."

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the villain Copley The Old Guard. Talking about his character, the actor said, "I feel there's a real soul to what Copley is doing. He's a very layered character, so his reasoning for coming into this and the fine line of ethics and morality that he plays with, I thought, was very intriguing and extremely interesting to play."

The original comic book writer Greg Rucka has also written the Netflix movie. He said, "The story delves into and explores the flip side of immortality. What it truly means to live forever, how that impacts the character's sense of family, and how they live without the knowledge that they will die someday.”