Netflix joins Charlize Theron’s Old Guard

Streaming giant Netflix has boarded US film and television outfit Skydance Media’s new feature The Old Guard, starring Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne.

Charlize Theron

Based on the comic book series created by Greg Rucka and illustrated by Leandro Fernández, the film follows a group of covert immortal mercenaries who fight to keep the team intact when they discover the existence of a new immortal and their abilities are uncovered.

Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball) will direct, with Rucka adapting the screenplay. The film is being produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger for Skydance alongside Theron, Beth Kono and AJ Dix through Theron’s Denver & Delilah Productions. Stan Wlodkowski serves as exec producer.

The deal comes at a problematic time for Skydance, with the firm facing criticism for appointing John Lasseter as head of its animation division after allegations of workplace misconduct were made against him during his time as creative boss at Pixar.

While its investment in TV content has continued to surge, Netflix has also been ramping up its film output following the success of originals including multi-award nominee Roma, dystopian piece Bird Box and anthology western The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. It recently secured the global rights (excluding China) to Bron Studios’ fact-based film The Red Sea Diving Resort.