The Old Guard has been highly anticipated since Skydance Media first picked up the adaptation rights to Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez’s fantasy comic back in 2017. Now that the film is finally arriving on Netflix July 10, fans will see the immortal mercenaries led by Andromache (Charlize Theron) brought to life.
They’ll also meet some of the forces surrounding them, specifically ex-CIA agent and recruiter Copley and fanatical big pharma CEO Merrick, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Harry Melling respectively. The two actors discussed their roles with Screen Rant, as well as spoke to them about the timeless tale.
Can you talk to me a little bit about your characters and how they play into the plot of The Old Guard?
Harry Melling: For Merrick, he finds out from Copley that there's a group of people in the world who are immortal. And Merrick is the CEO of a big pharma company, so of course this interests him. That's sort of how he's related to the Old Guard. In terms of Merrick, I think we want to believe at the beginning that he wants to find the cure. He wants to work out their genetic code and help the greater good, to help end all the disease in the world.
And then of course, as the story goes along, it goes a bit pear-shaped for Merrick. So, I think that's what I'll say.
And then Copley, he's the one that gets Andy's team involved. He obviously knows Andy's team has a past. Can you talk to me about what his motivations are?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: Yeah, he's ex-CIA, and so he has had some some contact with Andy and the Old Guard in the past. And now he's trying to sort of involve them in certain missions again. He is somebody who has gone through a very specific bereavement in his life, and so he is dealing with that. That bereavement is then informing some of the choices that he's making, and these choices are starting to cross moral and ethical lines. Maybe even his own.
But I think we, with him, maintain a sense of empathy with him as a character because of what he's struggling with. He's quite a grounded person, and I think that we sort of understand his humanity very well. So, that's what was exciting to me about playing Copley.
In the graphic novel and even in the film, I think The Old Guard explores a lot of interesting themes. It kind of blends together mythology with a fresh new group of characters. What were some of the themes that spoke to you when you guys took on the project?
Harry Melling: One of the things that really excited me, certainly when reading it and then seeing the film, was this idea of immortality. Obviously, that's been around forever, no pun intended. But it does that in such a way where you really feel the weight of the world on these characters' shoulders. It's not necessarily a gift; it's something that is a burden.
I think the every single character in The Old Guard, the way that individually they explore that pain, that loss, that loneliness, that whatever you want to call it - I think it's really, really special. Alongside the action. I think it's that combination that makes the film so thrilling.
Chiwetel, I know that the Doctor Strange sequel has been increasingly one of Marvel's most anticipated releases. Have you gotten an update when you are expected to start up on that?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: We're hoping to start pretty soon is what I can tell you. As soon as possible. We're all really excited to get going and to get cracking with it. So yeah, can't wait.
