The Old Guard's New Trailer Dives Into the Painful Side of Immortality

Nile (KiKi Layne) has a hard time accepting that she’ll outlive everyone she’ll ever know.
Photo: Netflix

I think Tuck Everlasting put it best when Winnie said: “Don’t be afraid of death, be afraid of an un-lived life.” But what happens when you don’t have that option? In the latest trailer for The Old Guard, starring Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne, the latest immortal member of the squad finds herself face-to-face with an eternity she didn’t sign up for.


Based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Old Guard tells the story of a young soldier named Nile (Layne), who discovers that she’s part of a centuries-long line of god-like mercenaries who are unable to die.


With the help of Andy (Theron), otherwise known as Andromache of Scythia, Nile is brought into the titular Old Guard to fight for humanity—or perhaps the right paycheck. However, things take a turn when a dangerous group uncovers their secret and decides to go after them. They cannot be killed, but it turns out there are far worse things than death for an immortal to face.

All the meanwhile, Nile is struggling with the fact that, while she stays forever young, everyone she’ll ever love will someday die—something that every member of the Old Guard has had to face during their centuries of living. Fun times for all involved!

The Old Guard debuts on Netflix July 10.




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I can’t help but fixate on the neurological implications of being immortal. Think about it: the human brain has evolved to such a degree that it can create a vast but finite number of synaptic connections over a specific lifespan. If you live indefinitely, wouldn’t you begin to experience memory loss after exceeding said lifespan?