Kiki Layne Hints at Future Franchise Potential as She Reprises her Role as the Marine-Turned-Immortal Warrior in “The Old Guard 2”
Following a five-year hiatus, Netflix recently welcomed its long-awaited follow-up to the COVID-era hit film, “The Old Guard.” Even though the sequel hasn’t quite cracked the success of its predecessor (when do they ever?), fans of the original have rallied around the latest installment, and star Kiki Layne has high hopes for the franchise’s next movie.
The Original Old Guard Mixed Superpowers with Existential Drama
Inspired by the comic of the same name, “The Old Guard” took the world by storm in 2020, and a lot of its positive reception relied on it being a superhero action movie layered with existentialism and introspection. It’s a movie about immortal, god-like mercenary-warriors who work in shadowy and shifting corners of the world, protecting humanity from various unseen, otherworldly threats. Its driving force is its attention to how the immortals grapple with their centuries-long existences, and the complex and tortured experiences they’re forced to endure.
The first film came out during the height of the COVID days, so the promise of superhero action paired with existential dread really resonated with folks at the time (I think it’s fair to say we were all feeling some of that existential dread).
Nile Freeman Evolves: From Marine to Core Immortal
Though “The Old Guard 2” lists Charlie Theron as its lead, the heart and soul of the film lies with Kiki Layne. Layne plays Nile Freeman, a marine who, by chance, discovers herself to be a member of a select group of people with immortal superpowers and is recruited to use her abilities to protect the world from various hidden threats.
The first film saw her as the ‘new recruit’ into this world of Earth-saving efforts and evil entities, and the sequel builds on her skills as she settles into her newfound immortal existence. The film shows both Nile’s progression as an immortal, as well as Kiki Layne’s growth and confidence as an actor, which is evident in all the crazy stunts she pulled for the new movie (almost all of which were performed by Layne herself).
Layne Wants a Third Old Guard Film—and Representation That Matters
When asked by Variety about a third movie, Layne remarked: “I pray for it…I would love to do it again. I hope to be the representation for little Black girls that I wish that I had more of growing up…that means everything to me,” Layne said. “All of this is so much bigger than me.” Aside from spearheading the “Old Guard” franchise, Layne has also appeared in Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Don’t Worry Darling” and Eddie Murphy’s sequel to the hit-classic, “Coming 2 America.”
Will The Old Guard 3 Happen? The Future Is Uncertain, But Hopeful
The next installment in “The Old Guard” franchise hasn’t yet been officially greenlit, and its underperformance compared to the original isn’t a huge help in that regard, so it’s still unclear whether or not there will be another movie. Though, with Kiki Layne as its advocate, there’s certainly a chance we’ll get to see more of the immortals on the streaming screen – hopefully before the decade ends.
