So, you just finished that wild cliffhanger in the second movie and you’re probably staring at your TV screen wondering if Andy and her crew are actually coming back. It’s a valid question. Honestly, after the road The Old Guard 2 took just to make it to our eyeballs on July 2, 2025, nothing feels guaranteed anymore. We waited five years for a sequel that felt like it was stuck in a digital purgatory.
If you're looking for an official The Old Guard 3 release date, the short version is: Netflix hasn't put a stamp on it yet.
But don't bail just yet. We actually know quite a bit about why the third movie is taking its time and what needs to happen before Charlize Theron picks up the Labrys again. The industry is in a weird spot, and the "immortal" franchise is feeling the mortal weight of streaming metrics and production schedules.
The Long Road to The Old Guard 3
Netflix usually likes to see the "receipts" before they greenlight a third film. The Old Guard 2 pulled in roughly 37.5 million views in its first week. That’s solid, but it’s not Red Notice numbers. By week four, it had hit about 63.3 million views. For a movie that cost over $140 million and suffered through massive reshoots and leadership changes at Netflix, those numbers are... complicated.
Charlize Theron, who isn't just the star but also a heavy-hitting producer, has been pretty vocal. She’s mentioned needing a "breather." Can you blame her? She spent years pushing the second film through a "post-production hell" that saw the project shut down for five weeks during a Netflix regime change.
If we look at the timeline, we’re likely looking at a 2027 or 2028 window if Netflix gives the thumbs up. Think about it. The first movie dropped in July 2020. The second in July 2025. This isn't a franchise that rushes things.
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Why the delay feels different this time
- Director changes: Victoria Mahoney took the reins from Gina Prince-Bythewood for the second film, but she’s already hinted she might not be back for a third.
- The "Cliffhanger" gamble: Ending a movie mid-climax (literally, the second one just stops) is a bold move. It almost forces a third movie into existence, but only if the audience doesn't get too annoyed by the wait.
- Cast schedules: You've got Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Henry Golding. These aren't people with empty calendars.
What the story tells us about the future
Greg Rucka, who wrote the original comics and the screenplays, always envisioned this as a trilogy. The narrative bones are there. The second movie introduced Uma Thurman as Discord—the "first" immortal—and basically blew up everything we thought we knew about how their powers work.
One of the biggest bombshells? Nile (KiKi Layne) is revealed as the "last immortal" with the terrifying ability to strip others of their immortality. That is a massive plot thread that The Old Guard 3 has to resolve. You can't just leave Andy (Andromache of Scythia) in a state of mortal vulnerability forever after thousands of years of battle. Or maybe you can. That's the tension.
The Quynh Factor
We finally got Veronica Ngô’s Quynh back in the mix. After centuries at the bottom of the ocean in an iron maiden, she’s understandably a bit "unhinged." The dynamic between her and Andy is the heart of where a third film would go. It’s a story of trauma, betrayal, and whether you can ever truly forgive someone who let you drown for five hundred years.
Reality check on the production status
Right now, in early 2026, the status is "in development" but not "in production." That’s a big distinction. Scripts are likely being tinkered with, but no cameras are rolling.
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Netflix's current strategy involves being a bit more selective with big-budget sequels. They’ve seen that throwing $150 million at a movie doesn't always guarantee a "culture-defining" hit. However, the Old Guard has a very loyal, very specific fanbase that loves the queer representation (Joe and Nicky are still the gold standard) and the gritty, grounded action.
Actionable insights for the fans
If you're desperate for more, don't just sit around refreshing the Netflix "Coming Soon" page. Here is how you can actually track the progress:
- Watch the Trade Publications: Keep an eye on Variety and The Hollywood Reporter specifically for "Skydance Media" updates. They are the production company behind the films, and they usually announce "start of production" dates before Netflix does.
- The Comic Books: Read The Old Guard: Fade Away and The Old Guard: Tales Through Time. The movies depart from the source material, but the DNA of the third film is buried in those pages.
- Social Media Cues: Charlize Theron's Instagram is usually the first place you'll see a training video. When she starts doing tactical reload drills with a stunt team, you'll know the The Old Guard 3 release date is actually getting close.
The most realistic scenario? We might get a formal announcement late this year with a production start in 2027. This franchise is a marathon, not a sprint. The immortals have all the time in the world; unfortunately, we don't.