‘The Old Guard’ Ending: What Does The After Credits Scene Mean For a Sequel?

Warning: This article contains The Old Guard spoilers. You probably knew that already, but just in case. 

The Old Guard on Netflix has everything: Charlize Theron wielding a battle-axe, Charlize Theron rocking a leather vest, and Charlize Theron entangled in a romantically-charged friendship with a woman that ends in tragedy. I am well aware that director Gina Prince-Bythewood and writer Greg Rucka are pandering to me, and I am more than happy to be pandered to. The movie is a blast, and by the time it’s over, you’ll no doubt be clamoring for an Old Guard sequel.

Based on the comic of the same name by Rucka, The Old Guard is about a group of immortal mercenaries led by an ancient warrior named Andromache of Scythia (Theron), or Andy for short.  When a new immortal named Nile (KiKi Layne) joins the team, Andy fears they are all in danger of being found out. Andy really doesn’t want that to happen, because the last time it did, herself and another immortal named Quynh (played by Veronica Ngo) were tortured for being witches. Eventually, Quynh was damned to an eternity of suffering in a metal cage at the bottom of the ocean. It’s all very Greek tragedy.

Knowing that Quynh is out there somewhere, still alive, you spend the whole movie waiting for her to show up. Spoiler alert: She does, but not until the very end, in a scene that hints at an Old Guard sequel. Let’s get into The Old Guard ending, explained, and what we know so far about The Old Guard sequel possibilities.

How does The Old Guard end? Is there a The Old Guard after credits scene?

Yes, there is an “after credits” scene in The Old Guard, though technically it comes before the credits, and after the film title card. By the end of the film, the gang of immortals is back together, with the exception of Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), who has been exiled from the group for 100 years as punishment for his betrayal. The man named Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), on the other hand, has been recruited as the team’s man on the ground, of sorts, who will help keep the immortal existence a secret. It’s very much a “I’m putting together a team,” moment that implies more Old Guard movies are on the horizon.

The Old Guard title appears on the screen and the movie ends—oh wait, there’s more. Six months later, we’re told, Booker returns to his apartment, drunk, only to find that someone has broken in: A woman in a red robe drinking a glass of water! “Booker,” she says, “It’s nice to finally meet you.” This time the movie ends for real, and no, there aren’t any more after credits scenes.

What is The Old Guard ending, explained?

In case you didn’t recognize her, the woman at the end of the film is Quynh, aka Charlize’s Theron’s former immortal BFF (and, let’s be honest, girlfriend, probably) who was locked in an iron coffin and thrown in the bottom of the ocean by witch hunters. Andy had looked for her for centuries, but eventually gave up.

Niles, who dreamed about Quynh drowning and coming to life over and over again, said earlier in the movie that Quynh was livid, and unhinged with rage. It seems safe to assume that, if there were another movie, Booker and Quynh would be the new villains of the story.

Will there be an Old Guard sequel?

Simply put: Maybe. The Old Guard movie covers the first five-issue arc of The Old Guard: Opening Fire graphic novel, which was released as a collection in August 2017. The second book, The Old Guard: Force Multiplied, released the first issue in December 2019, picking up where that story left off. If you want to get a sneak peek at what happens next, you can buy and read the issue online. The second volume of The Old Guard: Force Multiplied is set to come out on September 16, 2020.

In an interview with Looper.com, Rucka spoke of the possibility of not just a sequel film, but a trilogy. “There is a complete three-part story that can be told and, God willing if it’s a success, Netflix comes back and says, ‘Hey, let’s do it again,'” he said. “There’s more to tell, and there are questions that we want to answer. But right now, I gotta tell you this: If this is all we get, I am going to be a very happy guy.”

So there you have it: The story for a sequel exists in the comics, and Rucka is on board to adapt it into another film. But the future of The Old Guard film franchise is in the hands of Netflix viewers, Netflix producers, and Charlize Theron’s schedule. We’ll see!

Watch The Old Guard on Netflix