The concept of the Netflix blockbuster is an ever-changing one. The streamer has been criticized for homogenizing the tent pole experience, and for forgoing theatrical releases almost entirely. This has led to the production of films such asRed Notice,6 Underground,The Gray Man, andThe Electric State. Each of those movies was supposed to spawn a franchise, but none of them has. At least, not yet. However, two titles in the first batch of Netflix tent poles —ExtractionandThe Old Guard— both managed to stand out, which is perhaps why they were granted sequels.The Old Guard 2debuted earlier this month after an unexpectedly long delay, but it wasmet with poor reviewsand, seemingly, a lack of interestfrom audiences.
Themovie has already lost its number one spot on the Netflix viewership charts, which is almost unheard of for a film of its size. For instance, over on Prime Video,The Accountant 2held on to the top spot for weeks, before it was replaced by the recentHeads of State. Earlier this year,The Electric Statehad a similarly disappointing run after debuting on Netflix to horrendous reviews. It attracted further bad press following reports that it cost $320 million to produce. It’s unclear how expensiveThe Old Guard 2was, but the movie was certainly held up for a while.
Originally shot in 2022,The Old Guard 2’s post-production was shut down by Netflix during a regime change. StarCharlize Theronsaid as much in an interview, asserting her faith in the project. After some reshoots, the movie was deemed fit to be released. But it’s currently sitting at a terrible 24% score onRotten Tomatoes, which is significantly lower than the 80% that the first film earned. Audiences weren’t pleased either, awarding it a 37% score on the aggregator website. Directed byGina Prince-Bythewood, the original movie was also a viewership success, benefiting from an early-pandemic release date.
‘The Old Guard 2’ Sets Up a Third Installment
According toFlixPatrol,The Old Guard 2slipped to the number two spot on the global Netflix charts on July 8, surrendering the top position toKPop Demon Hunters. The movie is directed byVictoria Mahoney, and also features returning cast membersChiwetel Ejiofor,Luca Marinelli,Marwan Kenzari,KiKi Layne, andMatthias Schoenaerts, alongside newcomersUma Thurman, andHenry Golding. Like its predecessor,The Old Guard 2is based on the comic book series written byGreg RuckaandLeandro Fernández, which follows a group of immortal warriors who’ve taken a monk-like oath to protect Earth.A third installmentwas supposedly on the cards, but it’s unclear if Netflix wants to proceed with it. You can watchThe Old Guard 2at home, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
The Old Guard 2
