Plot
Off the coast of Rome, Italy, an iron maiden is recovered from the ocean floor. When it is opened aboard the ship, Quỳnh, an immortal who has been imprisoned inside for 500 years, emerges. Six months after Booker was sentenced to loneliness, Andy leads Joe, Nicky, Nile, and Copley to retrieve a weapons cache from a secure compound in Split. While in hiding, Nile dreams of a woman incapacitating someone in a library before stealing books.
In Paris, Quỳnh finds and abducts Booker. Meanwhile, Andy and Copley track down Tuah, a sage immortal and an old friend of Andy's, in Seoul. Tuah reveals that he rescued Andy after Quỳnh was sealed away. He also explains that books documenting every immortal's existence have been stolen by Discord, an elusive immortal who became an arms dealer after parting ways with Tuah centuries earlier.
Andy and Copley escort Tuah to a hideout in Rimini, where Andy receives a message from Quỳnh through Booker, whom she has released. Quỳnh demands a meeting in Rome. During their tense reunion, Quỳnh accuses Andy of abandoning her. After a brief fight, Quỳnh retrieves a necklace.
Nile confronts Discord, who reveals that she was the first immortal and identifies Nile as the last, pointing to their identical birthmarks. Tuah theorizes that the last immortal can strip another immortal of their immortality by injuring them. He also proposes that someone who has lost immortality can regain it if another wounded immortal transfers theirs. The first part of the theory is confirmed when Nile grazes Booker's forearm during a spar, leaving his wounds unable to heal. Booker insists that Tuah keep this discovery from Andy.
Andy and Copley learn that Discord and Quỳnh's mercenaries have seized a Chinese-built and owned nuclear facility in South Tangerang. The attackers have planted shaped charges inside the reactor core, threatening a meltdown that could affect millions. Despite recognizing the operation as a trap set by Discord, Andy's team proceeds to neutralize the occupiers and disarm the explosives.
During the mission, the team is quickly separated. Discord captures Joe, Nicky, and Tuah. In the ensuing fight, the wounded Booker transfers his immortality to Andy and sacrifices his life to protect her. Meanwhile, Nile is captured inside the reactor core, but not before confronting and injuring Quỳnh, stripping her of her regenerative healing ability.
Nile persuades the now-mortal Quỳnh to surrender the detonator. Newly immortal again, Andy catches up with Discord and fights her. Discord reveals that she has also lost her immortality and intends to use Nile to regain it. She stabs Andy in the heart, temporarily incapacitating her, then escapes with Andy's captured comrades. Discord warns Andy that she will be immortal if they meet again.
Andy takes Quỳnh to Tuah's library and helps her recover from her injuries. The two reconcile and vow to find Discord and rescue the remaining immortals.
Production
Development
In July 2020, Greg Rucka said, "In case of sequel, break glass. It's very straightforward. You want another one? Here's a way to get into it". In the same month, Charlize Theron had expressed her interest in a second film, saying: "Let's have a little resting period, but just given the fact that all of us really want to do it, I'm sure when it's the right time, we'll start the conversation."
It was reported on January 27, 2021, that Netflix had greenlit a sequel. On August 26, it was announced that Victoria Mahoney would direct the sequel, taking over for The Old Guard's original director Gina Prince-Bythewood who was busy with another project. Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Matthias Schoenaerts, Vân Veronica Ngô, and Chiwetel Ejiofor were cast to reprise their respective roles from the first film. In June 2022, Uma Thurman and Henry Golding were cast in undisclosed roles, while Greg Rucka was confirmed to have written the script for producers David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Theron, Beth Kono, AJ Dix, Marc Evans, and Prince-Bythewood.
Filming
Principal photography began in June 2022 in Italy. Some filming took place at the Italian Cinecittà Studios. In August 2022, the film's set caught fire while it was being dismantled, causing production to be delayed. Additional filming took place in the United Kingdom. Filming was completed in September 2022.
Post-production
In July 2024, Theron said that the film was shut down five weeks into its post-production due to regime changes at Netflix, but has since been completed and will be released "soon". In August 2024, the Union of British Columbia Performers listed the film as being scheduled for two weeks of additional photography from October 7 to October 18, 2024. Matthew Schmidt serves as the editor.
