Netflix announced on Thursday that it has secured the rights to the female-led action flick “The Old Guard,” from director Gina Prince-Bythewood (“Love and Basketball,” “Beyond the Lights”).
The film will star Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne (“If Beale Street Could Talk”).
“The Old Guard” is based which is based on the comic book series created by author Greg Rucka, who is also adapting the screenplay, and illustrator Leandro Fernández.
The film tells the story of a small covert group of immortal mercenaries who must fight to keep their team together when they discover the existence of a new immortal and their extraordinary abilities are exposed.
Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger are producing the film, along with Theron, Beth Kono and AJ Dix for Denver and Delilah; as well as Marc Evans.
Stan Wlodkowski will serve as executive producer.
Theron has carved out a lane as a strong female lead, taking on starring roles in films such as “Atomic Blonde,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Fate of the Furious.” Theron will next appear in the Lionsgate rom-com “Long Shot” opposite Seth Rogan. In the film, Theron plays the Secretary of State of the United States.
Layne, who broke out in Barry Jenkins’s “If Beale Street Could Talk,” stars in the 2019 Sundance film “Native Son,” a modern re-imagining of Richard Wright’s seminal novel, in which a young African-American man named Bigger Thomas takes a job working for a highly influential Chicago family.
The film was bought during Sundance by HBO.