There’s been a lot of game-changing movies directed by women in recent years, but films helmed by women still continue to be much less common than male-directed features. That being said, there’s a lot of releases on the way over the next year that we wanted to bring attention to. It’s exciting to see more women filmmakers than ever with their name all across a variety of genres across the 2026 movie release calendar and beyond. Let’s talk about them:

You, Me & Tuscany - Kat Coiro (April 10, 2026)

One female-helmed romantic comedy to look forward to is this spring’s You, Me & Tuscany starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page. The movie is directed by Kat Coiro, who also did Marry Me, A Case Of You and many She-Hulk episodes. It's about a young woman (Bailey) who decides to crash at a beautiful Tuscan villa after meeting an Italian man named Matteo who tips her off that it often sits there empty. However, once she gets there she runs into his mother, and lies that she’s his fiancé. As she gets to know his family, sparks fly when she meets his gorgeous cousin Michael (Page). It looks like a swoonworthy romance to take the girls to!

Roommates - Chandler Levack (April 17, 2026)

We’re also looking forward to Roommates, which is a comedy about two college freshman girls who share a dorm. It stars Adam Sandler’s daughter Sadie Sandler as Devon, a naive college student, who gets paired up with Chloe East’s much more confident character of Celeste, and what happens when they share the same space. It’s helmed by new filmmaker Chandler Levack, and produced by Adam Sandler. I’m so happy this story is being told through the lens of a woman director. It sounds like a fun time.

4 Kids Walk Into A Bank - Frankie Shaw (April 17, 2026)

We’ll get the chance to see the directorial debut of Frankie Shaw, who has been an actor for the past twenty years, and previously created and starred in the Showtimes series, Smilf. 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank is a black comedy heist movie starring the likes of Liam Neeson, Talia Ryder, Whitney Peak, Jack Dylan Grazer, Spike Fearn and Jim Sturgess. It’s based on a graphic novel of the same name and was filmed in Ireland.

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Olivia Newman (May 8, 2026)

After director Olivia Newman previously directed Where The Crawdads Sing, she’s returned to the tough feat of turning a beloved story to a movie with Remarkably Bright Creatures. The story is about a 70-year-old widow named Tova who forms a bond with a giant Pacific octopus while working nights at her local aquarium. Sally Field is set to play Tova, and her co-stars include Lewis Pullman, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker and Alfred Molina (who voices the octopus). We can’t wait to see this heartwarming novel about friendship and grief join upcoming book-to-screen adaptations.

Is God Is - Aleshea Harris (May 15, 2026)

It’s rather rare to hear the original playwright behind their own play is helming a movie based on their work, but that’s the case for Aleshea Harris’s Is God Is. The thriller will be Harris’s first time directing a movie, and boasts a cast including Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox and Janelle Monáe. It’s about twin sisters who are ordered by their mother to kill their abusive father.

Poetic License - Maude Apatow (May 15, 2026)

Maude Apatow, the daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, has made her first movie called Poetic License. It stars her mom as a former therapist and empty nester who gets in the middle of two best friends / college seniors (played by Cooper Hoffman and Andrew Barth Feldman). It premiered already to positive thoughts from critics.

Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko (June 19, 2026)

Pop star Hayley Kiyoko published her own YA novel, Girls Like Girls, back in 2023 about two teen girls who fall in love while also coming-of-age into their queer identities. It centers on a 17-year-old named Coley, who’s just moved to rural Oregon shortly after losing her mom. In her new town, she meets Sonya, who she immediately starts crushing on. Kiyoko co-wrote the screenplay and helmed the film herself. We love to see her so involved in one of this year’s most exciting LGBTQ+ movies.

The Invite - Olivia Wilde (June 26, 2026)

While Olivia Wilde initially started out in Hollywood as an actor, she proved to be a filmmaker to watch in 2019 when she made the very hilarious comedy, Booksmart. She followed up her debut with the controversial sci-fi film, Don’t Worry, Darling in 2022. Well, her third directorial effort is almost here with The Invite. It’s a comedy starring herself, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. It’s about a married couple going through a rough patch who get invited by their neighbors to their weekly orgies.

Practical Magic 2 - Susanne Bier (September 18, 2026)

Almost two decades after Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman played witches in Practical Magic, they’ll continue the story, this time with a female director behind it. Suzanne Bier has made a lot of movies over the years, but has notably already directed Practical Magic 2’s stars before – Bullock in Bird Box and Kidman in The Perfect Couple. The movie, which wrapped filming this past fall, also includes Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest again and Joey King and Maisie Williams will be representing the new generation of young women. We’re hyped to see where these sisters are these days – and their midnight margaritas, of course.

The Legend Of Aang - Lauren Montgomery (October 9, 2026)

Director Lauren Montgomery has a massive resume of being a storyboard artist and director in the animated space for 20 years primarily on DC animated projects, but The Legend of Aang is her highest-profile movie to date. The movie is about adult Aang as he goes on a new quest to save his culture from extinction. While the movie was originally going to get a theatrical release, sadly, it will now debut exclusively for those with a Paramount+ subscription this fall.

Sense & Sensibility - Georgia Oakley (October 16, 2026)

Jane Austen’s debut novel is getting another movie after the Emma Thompson version from 1996. This one stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Caitríona Balfe, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw, and will be helmed by Georgia Oakley. This will be Oakley’s first big film after finding her debut in a small film called Blue Jean in 2022.

Frozen 3 - Jennifer Lee (November 24, 2026)

The Frozen movies have been a couple of the most successful films starring women in recent years, and Disney fans like us are so curious about how Anna and Elsa’s story will go from here. For Frozen 3, it will be the first time a sole female director is behind them (Chris Buck co-directed the past two films). Jennifer Lee is definitely the right person for the job given she wrote the scripts for the first two movies herself, and was CCO at Walt Disney Animation Studios from 2018 to 2024.

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew - Greta Gerwig (November 26, 2026)

After Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie became a phenomenon of a blockbuster in 2023, the filmmaker is back this winter with her take on C.S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, Narnia. The movie produced by Netflix stars Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Denise Gough, Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep. It’s based on the sixth book from the series, which actually served as a prequel about how Narnia became visible for Earthlings to visit in the first place.

Children Of Blood & Bone - Gina Prince-Bythewood (January 15, 2027)

Gina Prince-Bythewood is one Hollywood’s most impressive filmmakers with an eye for telling Black-led stories, between Love & Basketball, The Secret Life of Bees and The Woman King, and her latest, Children of Blood and Bone sounds like her most ambitious yet. It’s based on the YA fantasy series rooted in West African mythology and Yoruba culture. The movie has a huge cast including Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Lashana Lynch, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cynthia Erivo, Viola Davis and Regina King, and was filmed for IMAX.

Get Lite - Teyana Taylor (April 9, 2027)

One Battle After Another Oscar nominee Teyana Taylor is getting behind the camera for her directorial debut, Get Lite. The movie stars Euphoria’s Storm Reid as a dance student who finds inspiration in the subways of New York City, per Variety. We’re excited to see what Taylor’s movie will look like after she’s worked with directors like Paul Thomas Anderson, Tyler Perry and Craig Brewer.

We'll keep you updated as this list continues to change. Go out and support these women-fronted projects.

As an avid reader, I love getting ready for upcoming book adaptations because it’s just so much fun how a book can compare to a novel. Sure, the source material is almost always better than the movie or TV show, but it can be satisfying to see how the different mediums tell the same story. And following a new announcement coming out about the movie Children Of Blood And Bone, I’m very much sold on finally getting into the book series.

I’m Floored By The Talent In Paramount’s Children Of Blood And Bone

First off, this cast is actually ridiculous. Per Variety, eight very talented actors have already signed on and there’s more in negotiations. To first talk about the heavy hitters, Viola Davis will play a Seer named Mama Agba. Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo will play an admiral named Kaea who is right hand to the king, played by Chiwetel Ejifor. Idris Elba will play a high priest named Lekan, and Lashana Lynch will play the mother to the main characters, Zelie and Tzain.

Oh, and apparently Regina King is currently in negotiations to play the queen of the kingdom of Orïsha, the setting of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling series. Paramount is assembling some of the biggest casts of talented actors we’ve seen in a minute. This is clearly a big production that the studio is investing in and has impressed a slew of talent.

I’m Excited To See Talent From The Woman King Reunited

Leading the adaptation will be Thuso Mbedu as the fantasy film’s heroine Zelie. I don’t know if you saw 2023’s The Woman King, but that was the first and only movie in which I’ve seen Mbedu, and she is amazing in her role. She co-starred with Viola Davis in that movie, who did almost every stunt in the action movie, along with Lynch. We loved The Woman King in our review, especially for the direction of Gina Prince-Blythewood, who will also be directing the Children of Blood and Bone.

Thuso Mbedu will also be joined by Snowfall’s Damson Idris, who is set to star in F9 with Brad Pitt this year, and The Acolyte’s Amandla Stenberg will play the children of the king who embark on a quest with Zelie to take back the magic that is stolen from their kingdom. House Party’s Tosin Cole will play Zelie’s older brother.

I Love The Idea Of A New Fantasy YA Trilogy Being On The Big Screen

As a book reader who loved following The Hunger Games series when it was being made into movies and is excited for the upcoming prequel, I love the idea of there finally being a big-budget YA adaptation again. So many of them in the past just weren’t not successful, oftentimes because the right attention wasn’t put into them. With this cast, its director and author Tomi Adeyemi even co-writing the screenplay, I’m ready to read this series (there are three books) and then get even more excited for the movie. The film has a release date of Jan. 15, 2027 and will be made for IMAX.

Many incredible movies created by women are available to watch now, and today, we will discuss the game-changers. Throughout the history of cinema, many notable films have come out that have changed the course of history. From the best fantasy films to the best horror films to so many others – I could talk about them for hours. 

However, today, we will focus on a specific group of fantastic women who have directed game-changing movies. Barbie was released in 2023, directed by Greta Gerwig, and along with this blockbuster, we’re going to go down the list and talk about 12 films that have changed lives forever, some older and some new.

Barbie (2023, Greta Gerwig)

First up on the list is Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig. If you haven’t seen Barbie yet, I’m unsure what you’re doing because it’s been everywhere the last few months. The film follows Barbie as she enters the real world when she realizes she needs to make the girl playing with her happy again for her to remain a normal Barbie. 

The movie received stellar reviews and became the highest-grossing movie ever directed by a woman, with over $1 billion documented at the box office, it broke major records at Warner Bros. Now, I’m pretty sure everyone wants to be a Barbie. Me included. 

Wonder Woman (2017, Patty Jenkins)

Wonder Woman was released in 2017. The first movie follows the story of Diana Prince, a female warrior known as an Amazon who takes on the role of Wonder Woman when the Amazonian's lives are threatened by outside forces that might be caused by Ares, the Amazonian’s long-time enemy, and who just might be causing World War I.

Wonder Woman is not only one of the few female-centric superhero movies, but it was the first superhero movie directed by a woman, Patty Jenkins. She returned to direct the second film, but it’s unclear if Wonder Woman 3 will happen since the shakeup at DC with James Gunn. Right now, it’s not in the works, but who knows what will happen. 

While the third installment might be in question, there's no denying the power of 2017's Wonder Woman. 

The Hurt Locker (2008, Kathryn Bigelow)

Kathryn Bigelow directed The Hurt Locker. It was an intense and gritty war movie that detailed the journey of an Iraq War Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, from their time in combat to how it affected them afterward and their PTSD. 

With The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director in 2009. Since then, there have been two other winners – Chloé Zhao (who we will talk about next) and Jane Campion, who directed 2021's The Power of the Dog. Even so, Bigelow was the first ever to win, and that in itself is a huge accomplishment. 

Nomadland (2020, Chloé Zhao)

Nomadland tells the story of a widow who travels around the United States in her van, living her life as a nomad. Chloé Zhao directed the movie, and she was the second woman ever to win Best Director at the Academy Awards.

This film is impressive for so many reasons, but for me, it’s always been the fantastic cinematography that stands out as a true highlight. Zhao put in some tremendous work when making this 2021 Best Picture winner and it shows through its gorgeous imagery and wonderful performance from Frances McDormand.

American Psycho (2000, Mary Harron)

Directed by Mary Harron, American Psycho was a satirical psychological horror film starring Christian Bale. It told the story of an investment banker who spent his nights as a serial killer while keeping it hidden from his everyday life of working in NYC. 

Harron created a classic with American Psycho. Not only is Bale’s performance considered one of the best in horror, but the story itself is full of hilarious black comedy that looks at themes such as yuppie culture, capitalism, and the need to consume the best of everything. There are also some awesome American Psycho behind-the-scenes facts you should check out too that make the movie even better.

Lady Bird (2019, Greta Gerwig)

Of course, I’m putting Lady Bird on here. Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut was a solid coming-of-age movie that detailed the life of a young girl trying to live her life, and her complicated relationship with her mother. 

I love this movie. I have for a long time. Gerwig delivered something so raw and perfect with Lady Bird that I find it hard to discover another coming-of-age film close to its greatness. It perfectly details the transition of becoming a young woman and the complex feelings that arise with not only our family but within ourselves. 

The Woman King (2022, Gina Prince-Bythewood) 

The Woman King was released in 2022 and was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The movie is based on a real group of warrior women in Africa called the Agojie that existed between the 17th and 19th centuries, and mainly follows a general as she trains the next generation of warriors against their enemies. 

This film was a snub at the Academy Awards, and it deserved much more recognition. The Woman King cast is stunning, but Viola Davis was the big star. And Prince-Bythewood brought an incredible historical-action film that showed badass women refusing to back down in the face of their enemies. I love it. 

The Babadook (2014, Jennifer Kent) 

Arguably, The Babadook, directed by Jennifer Kent, began a trend of psychological horror movies taking over at the box office years later, such as Ari Aster’s Midsommar or Hereditary. The film tells the story of a single mother dealing with her son seeing a humanoid monster in their home, but it soon turns their lives upside down. 

The movie is just utter perfection in terms of horror. Truthfully, it’s one of the best horror movies of the last 20 years, and I would re-watch it again. Kent built suspense in such a way that now, it’s imitated in many other psychological horror movies that have been released. 

The Farewell (2019, Lulu Wang)

Released in 2019 and directed by Lulu Wang, The Farewell follows the story of a Chinese American family who discovers that their grandma does not have long to live. So, they decide to schedule a family gathering for everyone to celebrate her one last time, instead of telling the older woman of her fate. 

The Farewell is one of those movies that comes once in a lifetime where everything fits perfectly. The film accurately depicts the lives of Asian culture. It features a stellar leading Asian cast, and it highlights Awkwafina's talents as a dramatic actor. She’s going to be in a new movie called Quiz Lady soon, but in my mind, this movie is her best so far.

Marie Antoinette (2006, Sofia Coppola)

Sofia Coppola has been making some headlines for her new film, Priscilla, which will be released later in 2023, but my favorite of hers has always been Marie Antoinette. Released in 2006, the film depicts the life of the famous Queen of France, especially in the years leading up to the French Revolution. 

Not only did the movie win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, but Coppola gave audiences a movie that had some of the best cinematography for a period piece. Marie Antoinette was a visual spectacle for the eye.

Clueless (1995, Amy Heckerling)

Clueless, directed by Amy Heckerling, was a coming-of-age teen comedy that was loosely based on the Jane Austen novel Emma and took place in Beverly Hills. The movie follows a teenager who decides to start doing more good deeds, but in doing so, she starts to learn more about herself and how much she can change too.

The film has been labeled as one of the most epic teen films ever. You can’t meet someone nowadays who doesn’t at least know a few quotes from the movie. Not to mention, Heckerling also gave audiences a great take on Emma in a hilarious, modern way. 

Women Talking (2022, Sarah Polley)

Lastly, we have Women Talking. The movie, directed by Sarah Polley, is based on the 2018 novel of the same name, and it follows the story of a group of Mennonite women who discuss their future when they find out that the men of their colony have a history of sexually assaulting their women. 

The movie was not only nominated for Best Picture but won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sarah Polley, who wrote and directed it. The film talks about some serious topics, and it is considered one of the best movies of 2022. It's also pretty funny that Polley's daughter played a prank on her mother, saying that the Academy was asking for her Oscar back -- thankfully, Polley still has her win for this incredible film.

There are so many other notable films that you should watch that women directed, but these are just some that come to mind for me. If you haven’t seen any of them, check them out. 

Awards Season is coming to a close, with everything leading to this weekend’s Academy Awards ceremony. Cinephiles are eager to see which projects will be snatching trophies, although there are a number that don’t have a chance thanks to being snubbed of nominations. One such project is Viola Davis’ The Woman King, which earned the actress a number of other major nods. But the Oscars shut the movie out, with director Gina Prince-Bythewood getting real about the snub, saying “I’ll never get over it.”

Gina Prince-Bythewood an acclaimed director and screenwriter, who has worked on notable projects like Love & Basketball, and Netflix’s wildly popular original The Old Guard. And while The Woman King was critically acclaimed and got a number of major awards and nominations, it got shut out of the Academy Awards. Prince-Bythewood recently spoke to People about this, sharing her true feelings with:

There you have it. I have to admire Gina Prince-Bythewood’s vulnerability in this moment, and her honesty in the midst of Awards Season. But given just how otherwise acclaimed The Woman King has been, it definitely turned heads when not even she or Viola Davis were nominated for an Oscar. But don’t worry, that’s not going to stop the Emmy-nominated filmmaker from moving forward and inspiring more change.

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s comments to People came from Icon Mann's pre-Oscar dinner at Waldorf Astoria. She spoke candidly about The Woman King being totally snubbed from the Academy Awards nominations, despite being recognized so many other times throughout Awards Season. And for her, it seems to indicate a larger problem with the industry as a whole. 

Indeed, this discourse seems to stem from the ongoing conversation about representation within the film world. The #OscarsSoWhite movement pointed out how often major nominees are exclusively caucasian, and there has indeed been some positive change in that regard. But Gina Prince-Bythewood seems to think that The Woman King’s shut out proves there’s more work to be done. 

The Woman King debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, with the cast and crew being praised for the epic story, thrilling action sequences, and gorgeous production design. It seemed like an Awards Season darling, especially for Viola Davis who became a bonafide action star in addition to carrying the movie’s emotional story. But alas, the Oscars was not kind to that movie. Other notable snubs include Jordan Peele’s Nope and Tom Cruise for Best Actor.

The Woman King is streaming now on Netflix. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The Woman King, Till, and Saint Omer, at one point or another, were all considered strong Academy Award contenders, and then they were all left off the list of 2023 Oscar nominees. The common denominator among all these films is they are made by Black female filmmakers. Now, Gina Prince-Bythewood, the director of The Woman King, is reflecting on what happened, and the lack of Black filmmakers nominated at this year’s Oscars. 

Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King, Chinonye Chukwu’s Till and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer were all left off the list, and now, The Woman King director is opening up to THR about her film and these other filmmakers’ being left out. She pointed out that it’s disappointing her film wasn’t nominated, however, it can’t be forgotten that the movie is a success. She explained that she felt the need to speak about The Academy’s omission, saying:

Throughout the Academy’s history, there have been many times when Black filmmakers, actors and craftspeople have been left off the nominations list. This year is similar, with Prince-Bythewood being among three women left of the list for Best Director. Along with the director, two Black actresses were snubbed, and four films made by Black filmmakers were shut out from the ceremony entirely. Pince-Bythewood pointed out that no Black filmmaker has ever won Best Director in the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, and no Black women have been nominated. She explained that she thinks this is because people simply are not willing to watch their movies:

The director went on, talking about how she went and saw other critical and financial hits like Everything Everywhere All at Once and Top Gun: Maverick because they were good, and then posed the question:

She also brought up the Best Actress race, which caused some of the biggest Oscar shocks as well as snubs for this year’s Academy Awards. Both Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler were not nominated for their performances as the leader of The Woman King cast and the mother in Till, respectively, even though they were both recognized at other major awards shows this season. 

Along with the three directors mentioned by Prince-Bythewood, there was also a lot of POC talent left out of the Oscar nominations this year making The Woman King director’s point clearer.  

The Woman King will be available to those with a Netflix subscription on February 16.

The history of women being nominated for Best Director at The Academy Awards, and women's movies being nominated for Oscars in general, is a sparse one. While it’s gotten slightly better over the years, there are still Oscar ceremonies where female-led movies aren’t included, and it’s looking like this year's awards might be another one of those. Despite Sarah Polley’s Women Talking, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King and Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun being serious Academy contenders, the way the race is shaking out, it looks like the films might not get nominated, meaning it could be another barren year for female directors. 

What Are The Odds Women Talking, The Woman King And Aftersun Will Get Nominated For Oscars?

All three of these movies have a lot going for them, and in many other years, I’d assume all three would be shoe-ins for multiple Oscar nominations. However, in a year filled with movies like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick, The Banshees of Inisherin and Tár, among others, these female-led movies haven't picked up and maintained the same level of momentum this awards season.

Between Sarah Polley’s direction and adapted script as well as stand-out performances from powerhouses like Rooney Mara and Claire Foy I had assumed Women Talking would have been an obvious choice for nominations in numerous categories this year. While it’s possible for Polley’s film to nab a few nods, based on how the awards shows leading up to the ceremony have gone,  I doubt it will happen. Polley did pick up a Golden Globe nomination for her screenplay, as well as a Critics' Choice nomination for Best Picture and Director, the ensemble also got a nomination at the SAG Awards. However, it was left off nomination lists for the Directors and Producers Guilds. 

This film about women deciding if they are going to leave or fight back against their abusive husbands has been critically acclaimed, and it sparked difficult and important conversations among moviegoers. However, it has been left off quite a few major awards lists in categories like best director and best picture which are typically necessary to secure Oscar nominations. 

The women-led, action movie The Woman King is in a similar situation. While Gina Prince-Bythewood was not among the 2022 Golden Globe nominees, Viola Davis, the leader of The Woman King cast was. Also, while the stunt ensemble and Davis picked up SAG nominations, the film as a whole was left off of the lists from the Director’s Guild and Producer’s Guild. What all this means is the action movie hasn't been a mainstay this season, and Academy voters might feel less inclined to recognize it because other bodies of voters didn't include it.

Charlotte Wells’ indie darling Aftersun has also been praised by critics, and it is one of 2022’s most underrated movies. It’s also 100% the dark horse of the 2023 Academy Awards race. Even though Wells herself has only picked up a nomination for best first-time director from the Directors Guild and a BAFTA nomination, pundits, like Variety, are predicting that this little movie might slip in and grab a Best Picture or Director nod. However, since it hasn’t been the biggest of deals this awards season I’m not sure if that will happen. 

The glimmer of hope for Aftersun and The Woman King came with the announcement of the BAFTA nominations. Not only did Davis pick up another nomination for her performance in The Woman King, Prince-Bythewood was also nominated for Best Director. Meanwhile, on the Aftersun front, the movie picked up four nominations, including one for Paul Mescal’s performance and one for Wells, who was nominated for outstanding debut. However, Women Talking received no nominations.

Despite these three movies picking up nominations here and there, they’ve mostly been left off various awards lists' in major categories that help predict the Oscar nominations (like the SAG awards, Golden Globes and BAFTAs). Along with this there are also films that have been nominated for what feels like everything. It appears that movies from male directors like Todd Filed (Tár), Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), The Daniels (Everything Everywhere All at Once) and Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin) are likely to make big waves at the Oscars this year, rather than these films from Wells, Prince-Bythewood and Polley. What also adds to this year's awards looking barren for women's movies is the Oscar's history with female-led films.

A Brief History Of Women’s Movies Being Represented At The Academy Awards

Looking at the last two years of Oscar winners in the Best Director category things were moving forward for female directors. Jane Campion was added to the list of 2022 Academy Award winners for her work on The Power of the Dog, and Chloé Zhao made her way onto the Oscars 2021 winners list for her film Nomadland. 

However, 2019 and 2018 were two years where women were left off the Best Director list. While Bong Joon-ho went on to win for Parasite, Greta Gerwig was snubbed for Little Women in 2019, and in 2018 Zhao was snubbed for The Rider, while Alfonso Cuarón got the trophy for Roma. Looking one more year back, 2017 was a great year as Gerwig picked up her first and only director nomination for Lady Bird, which was also well-represented in various other categories too. 

Before that things were really barren for women for the majority of the 2010s because the only other woman to get nominated for (and win) Best Director was Kathryn Bigelow in 2009 for The Hurt Locker. 

Before 2009, there were only three other women who got nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards, coming in 2004, 1994 (which was Jane Campion’s first nomination) and 1977.  So, having another year without women in the Best Director category emphasizes, in my opinion, the Oscar’s long history of leaving movies directed by women out of the awards race.

Why We Should Stay Cautiously Optimistic About Aftersun, Women Talking And The Woman King 

So, with all that being said, I’m not sure if the films from Sarah Polley, Charlotte Wells and Gina Prince-Bythewood will get the recognition they deserve along with their male counterparts. However, never say never. Nothing is impossible, and there have been more movies from women included in the Academy Awards over the years. While things may look barren now, we really won't know if it will be another year without female directors being recognized until the Oscar nominations are announced. 

With that said I think it’s worth staying cautiously optimistic that these women will be recognized for their work. However, thinking about the 2022 awards season so far, and the history of the Best Director category specifically, I also think we’ll have to really cross our fingers for this year's ladies, and hope that more movies directed by women on the 2023 movie schedule are sure-fire contenders for next year's Academy Awards. 

CinemaBlend sat down with the cast of “The Woman King” including Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, John Boyega, and Director Gina Prince-Bythewood. They discuss how Viola Davis acted as a mentor on- and off-screen, training for their epic fight sequences, how the pandemic affected filming, and much more! 

Video Chapters: 

0:00 Intro

0:30 Viola Davis explains the meaning behind Nanisca’s scars

2:20 Director Gina Prince-Bythewood explains how COVID disrupted production

3:35 The cast explains how Viola Davis acted as a mentor to them on this production

5:46 Director Gina Prince-Bythewood sheds like on Thuso Mbedu’s casting process

7:17 The cast shares insight to the fight choreography and the moment Nanisca blocks a bullet with her machete

10:04 Why Director Gina Prince-Bythewood wanted to have this film release directly to theatres 

The Woman King is more than an action-packed historical drama, it’s a rare release featuring Black female warriors in a big-screen flick based on true events. It’s safe to say that being on the set of the Viola Davis-led film was not the average on-set experience for its cast and crew. As Jénel Stevens -- the movie’s fight choreographer and stunt double to Davis -- shared with CinemaBlend, shooting the film was full of emotion and empowerment. 

Jénel Stevens has done stunts on numerous big-budget movies and TV shows, including Black Panther. When she spoke with CinemaBlend about the energy on the set of The Woman King, her comments made it clear that she had an unforgettable experience on the set of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s film. Stevens said this: 

The Woman King follows Viola Davis’ General Naniska, who is the leader of the Agojie all-female warrior unit, which really protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey from the 1600s to 1904. The movie, also starring Lashana Lynch and John Boyega among its stacked cast, allows a story about powerful Black women to take center stage and, on set, the cast and crew could really feel the importance and joy of having that moment on film. 

The 2022 movie release, which is now playing in theaters, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews. CinemaBlend also shared a glowing review of The Woman King from TIFF. As Jénel Stevens pointed out, the release of a movie like this is not only important for the representation of the history of Black women but also for the stunt industry. In her words: 

Jénel Stevens also told us that Viola Davis did just about everything you see her do in the flick, but with this movie, a ton of work had to be done for the stunts and choreography of the training and battles. As Stevens shared, there’s a lot of legwork that stunt teams and choreographers do to help make these films possible but, when it comes to this historical drama, she really appreciated the additional research by the industry to make this storytelling possible. 

While there’s not nearly enough diversity with movie roles in general, we’ve also yet to see such a large group of female warriors not only be showcased but given the opportunity and care that The Woman King gives the Agojie women. You can check it out in theaters now and take a look at CinemaBlend’s interview with director Gina Prince-Bythewood to learn more behind-the-scenes details from the film. 

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood and producer Cathy Schulman join the show to discuss their new film The Woman King, starring Viola Davis, John Boyega, Thuso Mbedu, and Lashana Lynch. Gina walks us through prepping for some of the film’s most incredible action scenes, working once more with the legend Terence Blanchard, how action can inform character, and much more. 

We’ll be back next week with more interviews so stay tuned! 

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One thing about the Sony slate of Spider-Man properties that are in development at the studio is that projects come and go, depending on the popularity and availability of characters and creators. While Tom Hardy’s Venom appears to be the bedrock foundation of that universe, setting up a possible Venom 3, there have been plenty of other Spider-Man-related projects in development at Sony that are shooting, have been announced, or still might see the light of day. Yes, El Muerto, I’m looking at you.

One of the more intriguing projects that occupied the production pipeline was Silver & Black, a spy thriller helmed by Gina Prince-Bythewood that would have focused on two femme fatales in Spider-Man’s universe: SIlver Sable and The Black Cat. And yet, while projects including Kraven the Hunter with Aaron Taylor Johnson and the upcoming Madame Webb movie co-starring Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney moved through development, Silver & Black kept stalling. So when we spoke with Gina Prince-Bythewood on the ReelBlend podcast, we asked her about the status of that movie, and she told us:

The Old Guard was an action-heavy movie steeped in mythology starring Charlize Theron that Gina Prince-Bythewood directed for Netflix. Catch it now, so long as your Netflix Subscription is up to date. Given the fact that Old Guard moved ahead of Silver & Black, Spider-Man fans might have been hoping that Prince-Bythewood would move to it next. Instead, she tackled the true-life story of the Dahomey tribe in Africa, and the female warriors trained to protect it. And even in there, this director shows how capable she is at directing big-ticket action set pieces.

Both The Old Guard and now The Woman King are receiving positive remarks from critics. And Woman King is set up at Sony, the studio that holds the rights to Spider-Man and his spinoff characters. I see no valid reason why Silver & Black can’t find its way back onto the studio’s radar. Given the fact that Olivia Wilde might not be in the running anymore for her Spider-related movie thanks to the controversy surrounding her behavior on the set of Don’t Worry Darling, Sony will need another project to fall into place. Gina Prince-Bythewood loves her female warrior comic book characters. Let’s circle back around, Sony, and make this potentially special project into a reality!

While we wait, keep up to date on more Upcoming Marvel Movies that will be reaching theaters between the end of this year, and all of 2023.

Over the years, we’ve seen many movies centered on military units faced with a mission of life or death to go to war over, but never like The Woman King. The upcoming 2022 movie sees Viola Davis leading her first flick since 2018’s Widows as the general of a West African kingdom in the 19th century with an all-female unit of warriors. Before you check out The Woman King in theaters this month, here’s what you need to know about the stunning epic. 

The Woman King premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9 to rave reviews from critics thus far. The movie is set to be released only in theaters on September 16, including IMAX screens. Whether you’re on the fence about whether to check it out or just want to learn more about it we’ve got all the quick details to know:  

The Historical Events The Woman King Is Based On

The Woman King is based on a true story. The movie follows a young woman named Nawi (played by Thuso Mbebu) living in the kingdom of Dahomey (present day Benin) who refuses to marry a man and is then dropped off at the palace doors to become one of its women warriors, called the Agojie. 

The Agojie was an all-female military regiment that existed from the 1600s to 1904, and often called Amazons by Europeans who encountered them, as a comparison to the Amazons in Greek mythology, who were also warriors. Agojie women were recruited as young as eight years old from the king’s many wives, voluntarily or by their husbands or fathers due to their behavior. In The Woman King, you’ll see the recruitment process, their training and them going into battle along with a discussion of the problems and woes these women faced at the time. 

It’s An Incredibly Epic, Emotional And Empowering Story

While it’s always helpful to have a bit more background, you can go into The Woman King knowing nothing about the Agojie and enjoy yourself. The PG-13 movie is not one of those historical snooze fests. It’s very crowd pleasing thanks to its very epic production on all fronts, between its fight choreography, engaging storyline and empowering character arcs that are easy to become invested in and watch develop on screen. At the same time, The Woman King allows the audience to learn about life in the 1800s, in the time of the slave trade, from a West African perspective and as Viola Davis' and her Agojie sisters endure and overcome what comes with their unique position in their kingdom. Overall, it makes for an emotional, yet satisfying and exciting moviegoing experience. 

The Woman King Is Just Over Two Hours

The Woman King’s runtime stands at two hours and six minutes, but it moves and flies by. It’s not an easy movie to find a place for a bathroom break, so plan accordingly. That being said, the story is relatively easy to follow. It’s a big popcorn movie with incredible visuals, so plan your viewing accordingly.  

It’s Directed By The Old Guard’s Gina Prince-Bythewood 

The upcoming film is helmed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and is her follow up to the 2020 Netflix action hit, The Old Guard. Prior to that film, the director began her career with 2000’s Love & Basketball before also making The Secret Life of Bees and Beyond The Lights. Prince-Bythewood is a groundbreaking Black female director who continues to open doors for representation, especially by making movies starring Black women that stand the test of time. 

Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch And John Boyega Star In The Movie 

Lastly, the cast on The Woman King is incredible. Aside from Viola Davis bringing it down with another amazing performance, you’ll see Captain Marvel and No Time To Die’s Lashana Lynch and and The Underground Railroad’s Sheila Atim as Agojie, Star Wars’ John Boyega as the kingdom’s ruler and even After star Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a key Portuguese trader. The actress who we’ll really be talking about after The Woman King is its secret star, Thuso Mbebu as Nawi, who is the young woman who we follow as she becomes a key warrior through unusual methods.

The Woman King is in theaters on September 16. It’s a rare release we’ll be rooting for at the box office and maybe even for 2023’s Oscar season.  

“The Woman King” is one of many highly anticipated titles premiering at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, and one that Managing Editor Sean O’Connell was lucky enough to catch. Watch as he shares his spoiler-free review of the film, which is filled with praise for stars Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu, as well as Director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s brutal fight sequence.

Video Chapters:

00:00 - Intro / Viola Davis Tease 

00:54 - Thuso Mbedu’s Stunning Performance 

03:03 - Viola Davis: Action Star 

04:50 - Character-Building Fight Choreography 

08:13 - Final Thoughts & Star Rating 

09:54 - Outro

Here is a little tidbit of information that is going to come as a surprise to just about no one, but some of the best action movies of all time have been directed by trailblazing female filmmakers who have proven that the genre isn’t reserved solely for their male counterparts. Over the years, Academy Award winners like Kathryn Bigelow have come in and released a few of the most transformative action flicks, like Point Break, that we’re still talking about 30-plus years later. But, she’s not alone…

In the past, we’ve talked about all the great horror movies from female directors, as well as pointed out some of the best superhero movies told from the female perspective, and so now feels like a great time to point out a dozen badass action movies by female directors and what makes each so great.

Point Break (Kathryn Bigelow)

Although Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 action thriller, Point Break, starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze wasn’t the biggest hit with audiences or critics upon its release (it opened just one week after her then-husband James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day came out), it has since earned a reputation as being one of the best action movies of the early 1990s, and perhaps of all time. 

The film centers around Reeves’ FBI Agent Johnny Utah, as he goes undercover to bring down Bodhi (Swayze), the leader of a group of surfers who fund their lifestyles by committing over-the-top bank heists while dressed up like former U.S. presidents. With thrilling heist scenes, daring skydiving sequences, and one of the all-time great movie villains, there’s a lot to love with this cult classic.

Wonder Woman (Patty Jenkins)

A few years after leaving the production of Thor: The Dark World, Patty Jenkins took her talents to the DCEU with the 2017 smash hit, Wonder Woman, a movie that not only made the Monster director one of the most sought after names in Hollywood, but helped take the growing cinematic universe to the next level.

Wonder Woman is nothing short of a comic book movie masterpiece, with exquisite action set pieces (especially the epic “No Man’s Land” sequence), a rich and detailed story, and an outstanding performance by Gal Gadot, who first took on the role of Diana Prince one year earlier in Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The Old Guard (Gina Prince-Bythewood)

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood and her 2020 Netflix original, The Old Guard, made great strides in Hollywood, specifically when it came to the representation of the LGBTQ+ community in an action movie. This, combined with Prince-Bythewood’s unique take on the genre and the source material, created a hellacious and thrilling action spectacle that did a lot while never feeling overstuffed or unnecessary.

In case you aren’t familiar, The Old Guard centers on a group of centuries-old warriors who all have amazing regenerative healing abilities that allow them to essentially come back from the dead over and over again. After fighting together for nearly a millennium, the group finds themselves the target of a mysterious party, while at the same time taking in a new member to the family.

The Matrix (The Wachowskis)

The landscape of action movies was forever changed in 1999 when The Wachowskis released the groundbreaking and mind-bending box office smash hit, The Matrix. With the movie, and the directors’, blend of heavy philosophical questions about truth, freedom, and identity, it’s easy to see why it’s still held in such high regard more than 20 years after its release.

On the surface, The Matrix is about one man — Neo (Keanu Reeves) — saving humanity from being enslaved by machines and used as a power source, but the more you peel back at that onion’s layers you find all kinds of statements and questions that turn it into anything but a straight-forward, run-of-the-mill action flick.

Birds of Prey (Cathy Yan)

It is easy to feel bad for Cathy Yan’s female-centric comic book movie, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), considering the global theater market came crashing down just a few weeks following its February 2020 release, but don’t let this take anything away from the criminally outrageous and fun action movie it is. Plain and simple, this movie rocks!

In the aftermath of Harley Quinn’s (Margot Robbie) breakup with the Joker, the Suicide Squad member finds herself with a big old target on her head, as just about every big bad (and just about anyone she hurt over the years) comes looking for revenge, including Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). But, don’t count her out, as Harley has some friends of her own; some very badass friends with equally great backstories.

Tank Girl (Rachel Talalay)

If you are a fan of the Mad Max movies, the punk rock mentality, and a heavy dose of feminist themes, then Rachel Talalay’s 1995 sci-fi cult classic, Tank Girl, is worth checking out. This movie is absolutely and undeniably bonkers, but this is a good thing, a very good thing. Set in 2033 where most of the planet’s fresh water is controlled by an evil corporation, Rebecca Buck, a.k.a. Tank Girl (Lori Petty), rises to the occasion to save her friends and humanity in whole fell swoop.

There’s just so much to love here, including Petty’s take on the underdog comic book character, the insane action sequences, outstanding soundtrack, and those human-kangaroo hybrids (your eyes aren’t deceiving you). But overall, it’s a fun, silly movie that isn’t afraid to tackle some big topics.

Punisher: War Zone (Lexi Alexander)

Not to be confused with the Thomas Jane-led The Punisher that came out a few years earlier, Lexi Alexander’s 2008 bonkers and very R-rated comic book movie, Punisher: War Zone, is an absurdly fun and ridiculous movie. Is a great movie? No, not really. Is it a blast? You bet!

The movie centers on Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) as he tries to fight off the legions of criminals, goons, and psychopaths hired by Jigsaw (Dominic West) to take down the Punisher after he left the crime boss hideously disfigured. But, don’t worry about the story, because the action sells the movie, especially the parkour scene where the Punisher makes a guy explode mid-flip.

Blue Steel (Kathryn Bigelow)

A little more than a year before Kathryn Bigelow released Point Break, the future Oscar winner came out with an equally as impressive crime action thriller called Blue Steel, which happens to be one of the best Jamie Lee Curtis movies. The drama in this one picks up after rookie cop Megan Turner (Curtis) puts an end to one criminal, but inadvertently kicks off another reign of terror when a psychopath (Ron Silver) picks up the dead man’s gun.

Though more toned down (in scope, not in violence) than the movie that would come out a year later, Blue Steel isn’t for the faint of heart. The great cat-and-mouse game between cop and criminal is brilliant throughout the movie and adds a great deal of tension.

Speed Racer (The Wachowskis)

Despite being a box office bomb and not being well received by critics, The Wachowskis’ 2008 adaptation of the classic Japanese manga and anime series, Speed Racer, is a dazzling display of cinematic greatness. Sure, an appreciation (or obsession) with the intellectual property helps in this regard, but it’s never too late to give it a second chance.

The movie looks and feels just like the old animated series and features multiple aspects, including those outrageously treacherous races with danger around every corner, the identity of Racer X (Matthew Fox), and so much corporate greed, that make you think you’re watching an HBO drama.

The Peacemaker (Mimi Leder)

Mimi Leder’s 1997 political action thriller, The Peacemaker (no, not the 2022 HBO Max show starring John Cena), is one of those movies that isn’t necessarily the best the genre has to offer, but is fun and engaging enough that you’ll be glad you watched it. When a train containing nuclear weapons vanishes after a wreck in Russia, nuclear specialist Dr. Julia Kelly (Nicole Kidman) and U.S. Army Ranger Thomas Devoe (George Clooney) attempt to find the missing weapons, which is easier said than done.

The pairing of Kidman and Clooney works really well throughout The Peacemaker and adds another level of drama and contention as the two characters, who are polar opposites, learn to work together. Bickering, banter, and plenty of explosions are found throughout.

Eternals (Chloé Zhao) 

Chloé Zhao became the second female filmmaker (the first being Kathryn Bigelow) to take home an Academy Award for Best Director with her 2020 sensation, Nomadland, and immediately followed it up with one of the most ambitious entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet. That movie, Eternals, introduced audiences to some of the MCU’s most interesting and powerful heroes thus far.

Although not everyone’s favorite Marvel movie, there’s a case for Eternals being the most beautiful entry in the saga over the years, and that’s mostly because of Zhao’s eye for great shots and insistence on shooting on location whenever possible. When Zhao said she was from the "Terrence Malick school of filmmaking," she really meant it with this one.

Aeon Flux (Karyn Kusama)

A little more than a decade-and-a-half before she directed the pilot episode of the popular drama series, Yellowjackets, Karyn Kusama helmed the 2005 live-action adaptation of the MTV animated series, Aeon Flux, with Charlize Theron taking on the role of the titular heroine. Set 400 years after a deadly pathogen wiped out most of life on Earth, the movie features some flashy action and multiple plot twists before Aeon Flux can fulfill her mission.

Aeon Flux didn’t fare all too well at the box office, with critics, or fans of the original series, but Theron’s take on the iconic ‘90s character is fun enough to make it a fun cinematic experience.

Hopefully this all sheds light on some of the more forgotten movies on this list as well as the female directors who brought the stories to the big screen. And, with so many female filmmakers at the helm of some of the upcoming 2022 movies, expect this list to get longer in time.

2020 may not have been a year defined by the big-screen action blockbuster, but it did prove that the genre can be viable over on streaming. After Netflix went all out with the Russo Brothers-produced, Chris Hemsworth-led flick, Extraction, in the spring, the studio came back around with The Old Guard, another graphic novel adaptation, this time starring Charlize Theron and directed by Love & Basketball’s Gina Prince-Bythewood. The summer release may have come and gone, but it's rare slew of strides in Hollywood could be lasting and looked-to moving forward.

The Old Guard is an adaptation of Greg Rucka’s comic book that is about a team of mercenaries who have secretly been alive for centuries. As they welcome a new member to their immortal ranks (KiKi Layne’s Nile), they also become targets of a plan Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Copley is hatching as he grieves for his late wife. The movie is packed with intense action sequences, rich backstories and memorable chemistry between its cast. Let’s get into the specific strides it made in Hollywood:

The Old Guard Marks A Major First For Black Women Directors

The Old Guard being directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood makes the filmmaker the first Black woman to helm a major comic book movie, ever. It’s a stride in the industry that certainly should have and could have happened years ago, but in Hollywood these leaps do seem to be slow and steady. What’s cool about the honor going to Prince-Bythewood is the filmmaker has been around for quite some time and has consistently shown her talent. But, she hasn’t often been given the opportunity to show it. The Old Guard was her first directing gig in six years, and looking years ahead, the director now has an exciting future carved out.

She was initially going to work on Spider-Verse spinoff Silver & Black before it fell through, but making her own mark on The Old Guard for Netflix ended up being the right choice for the filmmaker, and a unique addition to the comic book formula. Female directors in action movies are still a rarity, but it’s starting to see a sea change. This past year, Cathy Yan released her Birds of Prey and Patty Jenkins her Wonder Woman 1984, and looking forward, Chloe Zhao’s Eternals is on the way. Candyman’s Nia DaCosta will be the second Black woman to direct a comic book property for the MCU’s Captain Marvel 2.

The Netflix Movie’s Post-Production Team Was Overwhelmingly Female

Another notable aspect of The Old Guard happened behind the scenes on the project. According to the director, her post-production team was made up of 85 percent women, which is completely unheard of. The film’s editor was her Love & Basketball collaborator Terilyn A. Shropshire and her VFX supervisor was Sara Bennett, who also worked on Ex Machina. To place The Old Guard’s post-production team in context with the industry at large, within 2019’s 250 top-grossing movies, only 6 percent of VFX supervisors were women. Additionally, just 13 percent were female directors, and 23 percent were editors.

It looks as though Gina Prince-Bythewood made it her mission to hire more women for her project than usual. Seriously, a lot more. When on the press circuit for the movie, she said that she can “guarantee” that percentage has never happened on the set of an action film. She noticed the disparity had little to do with talent, but was more pinpointed to a greater number of opportunities simply going to male filmmakers and post-production workers. Again, The Old Guard doesn’t have to be such an outlier in the industry, but here it stands.

Joe And Nicky Broke A Troubling Track Record For LGBTQ+ Romances

When it comes to Hollywood blockbusters, there’s been a troubling track record for representation for the LGBTQ+ community over the years. A number of films of its pedigree have technically had same-sex relationships before, but they’ve shyed away from really being what they are head on, instead of queerbaiting its audience and frustrating the community.

It’s easy to think back to franchises like Star Wars, where audiences were led to believe that Finn and Poe could be together by the end of it. J.J. Abrams teased LGBTQ+ representation ahead of Rise of Skywalker’s release, but it ended up to be a blink-and-you-miss kiss in the background of a sequence at the end of the movie. In terms of The Old Guard, the action movie actually leaned into its gay romance and made the pairing matter without feeling like a stunt or the meeting of a quota. The Old Guard is a good example of what LGBTQ+ representation can look like in an action movie. There’s definitely room for it for filmmakers that make it a priority, and put some love and care into these storylines with some effort.

The Old Guard Is One Of The Most Watched Netflix Originals Of All Time

All and all, with these strides in Hollywood in mind, it matters the most because so many people did watch it on Netflix. In its first month on the streaming service alone, it reached an estimated 72 million households, which places it among the top 10 most-viewed Netflix films ever. And out of the top 10, it’s the biggest swing the service has taken representation wise. It’s the only movie on Netflix’s most-watched originals top 10 list that was directed by a woman, and infused with as much representation as it is.

If it hadn’t been a streaming blockbuster none of these aspects would have held as much weight as they do, but now that we’ve seen it out of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard, hopefully Hollywood can continue to grow and build off of its success. We’re really excited to see what Gina Prince-Bythewood does next in her career, and she’s already signed on to work with Viola Davis for a drama called The Woman King. Hopefully, The Old Guard will continue with a sequel at some point down the line, especially considering all the loose ends the action flick left us with. Did you like The Old Guard? Vote in the poll below!

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For obvious reasons, 2020 has been a down period for action films. Initially there were some massive titles set to come out in the calendar year, including Cate Shortland's Black Widow, Cary Fukunaga's No Time To Die, Justin Lin's F9, Robert Schwentke's Snake Eyes, and more, but theater closures have forced all of them to move to 2021. As a result, that particular hunger needed to be satiated in other ways, and it turns out that Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Old Guard was an excellent substitute for the big screen blockbuster experience when it was released this past summer.

It was no secret that The Old Guard was a hit when it arrived on Netflix this past July, as it was a consistent presence for a long time in the site's Top 10 list – but because the streaming service doesn't provide ratings reports we've only been able to surmise its popularity. Now, however, there are hard numbers to back up the success, and they are impressive.

The official Netflix Twitter account has been posting viewer statistics for the most popular titles on the streaming service during the third quarter of 2020, and it turns out that no other title could touch the viewership of The Old Guard (though it's worth noting that because the film came out in early July, it was available to watch for a much longer time than, say, Harry Bradbeer's Enola Holmes, which was released with only one week left in the July-to-September window). All accounted for, 78 million households reportedly watched Charlize Theron lead what is guaranteed to become a new franchise.

Based on the comic series of the same name by writer Greg Rucka and artists Leandro Fernández, the plot centers on a group of immortals who have spent their thousands of years of life on Earth trying to do as much good as they can for the world. It makes for a hard, secretive life, but things get even harder when, almost simultaneously, a new immortal wakes up in the world, and the group is set up by an ex-CIA agent. The impressive cast includes Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Luca Marinelli, Marwan Kenzari, Harry Melling, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, and the release was met by acclaim from both critics and audiences alike.

The quality of The Old Guard was alone enough to make audiences immediately start asking for more (particularly spurred on by the movie's mid-credits coda scene), but one has to imagine that Netflix is looking at that 78 million figure and immediately figuring out how they can lock down cast and crew for the follow-up. As of right now there haven't been any official announcements regarding the development of The Old Guard 2, but you can be sure that there are moves being made behind the scenes to have it made and ready for release in the next couple of years. Naturally, we here at CinemaBlend are keeping our ear to the ground for all of the latest rumblings, so keep an eye out for the latest updates.

The Old Guard has become one of the biggest streaming hits of the summer. The Netflix movie already broke records this month, becoming one of the platform’s most viewed original films, and director Gina Prince-Bythewood made history as the first Black woman to helm a major comic book film. And behind the scenes, The Old Guard can also check off a post-production team made up of 85% women. That’s unheard of. Prince-Bythewood spoke to the achievement with these words:

The Old Guard director made an active effort to hire as many diverse voices for her film, which extended to the technical side of things. The film’s editor, Terilyn A. Shropshire, (who worked with Gina Prince-Bythewood on Love & Basketball) also shares another first – she’s the first Black female editor to edit a comic book movie as well. The movie also enlisted Ex Machina’s Oscar-winning VFX supervisor Sara Bennett, too.

To place the importance of The Old Guard’s hiring decisions in context, among 2019’s 250 top-grossing films, only 6% of VFX supervisors were women. There were 13% on the director side of things and 23% when it came to editors. When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Gina Prince-Bythewood spoke to hiring more female voices behind the scenes:

This is awesome. It’s a well-needed step in Hollywood’s imbalanced industry, which has been slowly stepping up its game. Prince-Bythewood credits Wonder Woman’s Patty Jenkins for opening the door “a crack” for more female filmmakers. Following The Old Guard’s success, Marvel has hired its first Black female director. in Candyman helmer Nia DaCosta, who will helm Captain Marvel 2 for the studio.

The Old Guard, made on a reported $70 million budget, featured Charlize Theron’s Andy and a group of badass eternal mercenaries, who have to fight to protect their identities. Theron trained hard with axes to embody a woman who has had combat skills for hundreds of years.

Talks of an Old Guard sequel have already been high on the minds of fans. The writer of the comic book it is based on said “there have been discussions” but could not confirm The Old Guard 2’s green light. The second installment of a planned Old Guard trilogy is set to hit bookshelves and sites this fall. Prince-Bythewood told CinemaBlend she’s aware of what happens next for the band of immortals and it's “pretty dope.”

Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for updates on what’s next for The Old Guard.

During any other summer, we’d be breaking down box office numbers for a usually packed movie season and breaking down the winners and losers of the weekend. Although movie theaters are still closed, a number of streaming services have been dropping new releases. And if any movie can pass off as summer blockbuster in 2020 it’s The Old Guard, and the action epic just became one of the most streamed movies on Netflix ever.

The site broke the big news just one week after The Old Guard’s release. The movie has reportedly already made its way into the top 10 most popular Netflix films in the streaming service’s history, per the Twitter announcement. The Old Guard is currently tracking to reach 72 million households in its first month. That volume of viewers qualifies Gina Prince-Bythewood’s flick as the streaming equivalent of a summer hit.

Another win for The Old Guard is that it has also become the first movie to make its way into Netflix’s all-time greats that is helmed by a black female director. Gina Prince-Bythewood has already made history with her involvement in the project, as she's become the first black woman to serve as director for a live-action graphic novel adaptation. With so many audiences’ pressing play, this could give way to more projects helmed by diverse voices. Oh, and how about an Old Guard sequel next, please?

Earlier this week, the streaming platform revealed its top 10 most-viewed films ahead of The Old Guard’s numbers. Extraction, which was released earlier this year, was named the No. 1 Netflix original film to date after reaching 99 million households. At number two was horror phenomenon Bird Box, No. 3 was another 2020 release, Spenser Confidential, 4th place belongs to Michael Bay’s 6 Underground and in fifth place is the Adam Sandler comedy Murder Mystery.

Going off the predicted The Old Guard numbers of 72 million, the movie will make its way into sixth place over Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-nominated drama The Irishman. Rounding out Netflix’s most viewed movies are Triple Frontier, The Wrong Missy, The Platform and The Perfect Date. It's clear the action genre is doing incredibly well for Netflix, giving way for the service to throw its money at a $200 million action-thriller that stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans and will be directed by the Russo Brothers.

Now, we should keep in mind that it is primetime for streaming services to break records, if only because of “the times.” Hulu’s Palm Springs just broke its own big streaming record last week shortly after its premiere. Could both these flicks have been able to boast these numbers in an alternate universe? A rhetorical question, of course (unless you somehow have the multiverse hookup). Either way, this is a big win for the genre film and perhaps for Gina Prince-Bythewood or even its up-and-coming stars KiKi Layne and Marwan Kenzari.

What did you think about The Old Guard? Does its viewership match its quality? Vote in our poll below and stay here on CinemaBlend for more movie news.

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SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for The Old Guard. If you have not yet watched the film, read on at your own risk!

While the Summer Without Blockbusters continues, movie-lovers have been extra hungry for new streaming content, and Netflix has now delivered with the explosion of kick-ass cinema that is Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard. Based on the comic of the same name, the movie is an origin story of sorts for the central team of immortals and puts them on an exciting, testing adventure – and it ends with an awesome final battle plus a fantastic set-up for a potential follow-up.

So what happens in the ending of The Old Guard and what could it mean for the future? In this latest installment of our Ending Explained column, we dive into exactly that – and fitting with tradition, we’ll start with the recap.

What Happens At The End Of The Old Guard

In the aftermath of the big climactic battle in the London offices of Merrick’s pharmaceutical company, the immortals gather at a pub to discuss an important matter: the consequences for Booker’s betrayal. While Andy, Joe and Nicky talk, Booker waits outside and is joined by Nile, who extricates herself from the others while the conversation continues. Booker notices that Andy gave Nile her phone back, and the former marine tells him that Copley is going to help her by having her declared killed in action so that her family gets peace of mind.

With a sentencing decision made, Andy steps outside to tell Booker where things stand with him and the rest of the group. She explains that he is not to make contact with any of them for a full century, and that they will reunite in the same place once the shunning period is over. Carrying both pain and understanding in his voice, the remorseful traitor explains that he hoped for less, but that he expected more.

Leaving Booker behind, Andy, Joe, Nicky and Nile go to Copley’s office and have the opportunity to go over the incredible research done by the former CIA agent, who condenses his explanation earlier in The Old Guard saying that the group has done so much good over such an extreme amount of time that their contribution to existence is exponential. As Nile notes to Andy, it seems that Copley has found the “why” behind the reason the members of the group cannot die.

Despite no longer being immortal herself, Andy is clearly reinvigorated by the notion, and begins explaining how things are going to work going forward. Using his smarts and resources, Copley is made responsible both for cleaning up any trace of the immortals’ existence, and finding them missions that are suited for their particular skills. Joe explains that it’s not a request, but it’s no matter as Copley sees it as an honor.

Following The Old Guard’s title card, the film leaves audiences with one last scene. In Paris an undetermined amount of time later, Booker arrives at his apartment completely drunk – dropping and smashing a bottle while making his way to his front door. Hammered as he may be, however, he is still alert enough to sense the presence of someone inside, and enters his place with his gun drawn. A mysterious woman pours herself a drink and says, “Booker. It’s nice to finally meet you.” As she takes a sip, it’s revealed that this woman is none other than the legendary Quynh.

There is a lot of set-up here for an Old Guard 2 here, so let’s unpack this piece by piece, shall we?

What’s Next For Andy And The Immortals?

The heroes in The Old Guard certainly run the gauntlet over the course of the film, as they are set-up, betrayed, drugged, kidnapped, tortured, experimented on, and die multiple times, while also dealing with the stress of initiating a new member to the team. They have a seriously rough go of it for the duration – but to look on the bright side, one could argue that they are in a better position than ever before when the title card pops up.

Obviously the immortals have remarkable talents and plenty of resources, but what they’ve long lacked is real organization and a true mission statement – but now that gap has been filled. While it’s true that he was duplicitous in the past, Copley’s passion for the work that the heroes are doing is genuine, and he has the exact skills that are needed. Furthermore, the research that he has done, clearly demonstrating how generations of good have resulted from their work, is the best possible motivation and will help all of the members keep their eye on the prize.

There is, of course, one significant problem, which is that the leader of the band of immortals isn’t actually immortal anymore. Andy is fortunate to discover that her healing abilities are gone after receiving a non-lethal injury, and she certainly seems like she is in good shape at the very end of The Old Guard, but every mission going forward will come with a risk that didn’t previously exist in such a concrete way. She’s clearly still an important asset within the group, as her experience as potentially the longest-living being on Earth is invaluable, but tactics and strategy will need to change in battle.

The team could likely function like this for a very long time, but then there is also that other lingering story hanging out there…

What Does Quynh’s Return Mean?

As recounted in the second act of The Old Guard, the fate that befell Quynh centuries before the start of the main story in the movie is a nightmare that is basically the scenario that all immortal beings should fear. Back when she and Andy were the only known members of their “kind,” people viewed her ability to near-instantly heal and come back from the dead as witchcraft, and her sentence was to be locked in a tomb that was then dropped in the ocean. Andy spent years looking for her, but the search was fruitless, and to achieve any kind of closure she had to give up.

Andy’s story definitely delivered the impression that Quynh was either trapped forever or, in a phrase, exceeded her expiration date and saw her immortality come to an end, but The Old Guard’s last scene sweeps both of those options off the table and reveals Option C: she is alive and well.

Of course, the big question we’re left grappling with in the aftermath is in regard to Quynh’s feelings toward Andy and her allies. Sure, we’re curious about both how and when she managed to escape her underwater prison, but those are just details whereas her feelings should ultimately dictate story if there is an Old Guard 2. Does she still care about Andy and has been trying to find her? (Perhaps it was easier to find Booker than anyone else following his severance?) Or does she feel betrayed by the fact that Andy stopped looking for her, and is trying to create a new ally with someone who has also seemingly been cast aside?

With Quynh’s final moment in The Old Guard being so brief, it’s hard to precisely tell what her emotional status is – which is probably purposeful just so that the filmmakers have more options in the making of a follow-up. However, whichever way she is leaning is surely going to have a significant impact on her scene partner in the mid-credits sequence, which leads us to our final section:

Is Booker Going To Become A Villain?

At this point, Booker’s fate seems to be very much tied to Quynh’s. From what we can tell in the moments prior to the two characters meeting, it doesn’t exactly seem like the man once known as Sebastian Le Livre has it all together without the support of the immortals, and a full century is a long time to wait to be reunited with the people you care most about in the world.

It’s a thought-provoking situation motivated by the fact that in The Old Guard Booker isn’t the antagonist that most movies would set his character up to be. In most stories in this genre there is a Dante-esque perspective when it comes to traitors, viewing them as the worst of the sinners – but the heroes of this story are more evolved than that, and have known him long enough that they can’t just cut ties with him permanently (it’s also significant that “permanent” has a much different meaning for people who ostensibly live forever).

The Old Guard ends in such a reasonable place between Booker and the others that it’s hard to precisely predict points of conflict and how things will turn out. At the same time, it’s possible that a sequel could be set 100 years in the future and pick up after the Frenchman’s sentence has been completed and find the main characters in totally new circumstances.

As of right now we don’t really know what the future for this potential series is, but you can be sure that we here at CinemaBlend are highly anticipating any and all news. Stay tuned for updates as well as more of our coverage of this awesome movie, and feel free to watch The Old Guard again and again on Netflix.

This past weekend saw the release of Netflix’s latest original movie, The Old Guard. Based on the same-named comic book by Greg Rucka, who also wrote the film’s script), The Secret Life of Bees’ Gina Prince Bythewood handled directing duties on The Old Guard (thus making this her comic book movie debut rather than the in-limbo Silver & Black). Now word’s come in that she’s already lined up a new movie that will star How To Get Away With Murder and The Help’s Viola Davis.

As reported by Variety, Gina Prince Bythewood has been tapped to helm The Woman King, which is based on true events that took place across the 18th and 19th centuries in the Kingdom of Dahomey, which was located within the present-day African country Benin. Viola Davis will play Nanisca, the general of the Kingdom’s all-female unit, and her daughter, who, according to Deadline, will be played by Lupita Nyong’o. Together, they fought the French and neighboring tribes who “violated their honor, enslaved their people and threatened to destroy everything they’ve lived for.”

In addition to starring in The Woman King, Viola Davis will also produce the movie alongside her husband, Julius Tennon, through their company JuVee Productions, while the other producing parties include Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment and Maria Bello of Jack Blue Productions. Here’s what Davis and Tennon had to say about the upcoming movie in an official statement:

This will mark Gina Prince-Bythewood’s fifth directorial endeavor in the feature film realm, with Love & Basketball, The Secret Life of Bees and Beyond the Lights (all of which she also wrote) preceding The Old Guard. Prince-Bythewood also penned Before I Fall and Nappily Ever After, and she also has an extensive TV resume, having directed episodes of shows like Girlfriends, The Bernie Mac Show and Cloak & Dagger, as well as created Shots Fired.

As for her latest movie, The Old Guard follows a group of immortal mercenaries who use their centuries of experience to help the world, but now find themselves fighting to keep their existence a secret right as a new member of this strange group emerges. With a cast boasting , Kiki Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Matthew Schoenaerts, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Van Veronica Ngo, among others, The Old Guard has been met with primarily positive critical reception, and there’s already been talk about making a sequel.

Turning to Viola Davis, in addition to her aforementioned movie and ABC series (the latter of which which concluded in May), her other notable credits in recent years include Fences (for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), Suicide Squad and Widows, and in addition to The Woman King, she’s also set to appear in The Suicide Squad and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The Woman King sounds like this will be a cool opportunity for Davis to star in a Braveheart-like tale that taps into historical events that many people have presumably not heard about.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on The Woman King’s development. For now, The Old Guard can be streamed on Netflix, and look through our 2020 release schedule to learn what movies are supposed to hit theaters later this year.

Gina Prince-Bythewood is the director behind the current No. 1 Netflix film of the weekend, the action flick The Old Guard. The movie that has received a lot of high praise and is based on Greg Rutka’s graphic novel is the director’s first big-budget film ever, but that accomplishment almost belonged to the Spider-Verse spinoff Silver & Black.

Sony is building its own Marvel Universe based on Spider-Man characters after its take on Venom was successful. One of the early projects the studio has been pulling in and out of development for several years was a spinoff film for Silver Sable and Black Cat. Gina Prince-Bythewood was formerly the director on Silver & Black. She worked on it for a year and half before dropping the project and moving to the newly-released Netflix hit. It turns out the switch-up became an advantage for her boarding The Old Guard. In Prince-Bythewood’s words:

This is a common discussion about high-profile comic book films. When Gina Prince-Bythewood signed on to Silver & Black, she wanted to push the boundaries of the property by providing a new experience within the genre. She went as far as crafting costume designs, scouting locations, working with a VFX team and storyboarding action sequences for the Spider-Verse spinoff. But for some reason, she stepped away and the project remains in limbo.

As Gina Prince-Bythewood told IndieWire, her work did not get wasted when she left Silver & Black as director (she is still reportedly on board as a producer). She had hopes to make a grounded and gritty movie centering on two women, and The Old Guard allowed her to do that without constraints placed by Marvel. She continued with the following:

Now we’re wondering what Silver & Black would have turned out to be if Gina Prince-Bythewood was given free reign. Since she left the movie, the idea of splitting the movies into two in order to feature Silver Sable and Black Cat in their own capacities has been in conversation. Another idea that has floated around is making Silver & Black a television series over on Disney+. Prince-Bythewood recently said she hopes it will continue to be developed into the film she set out to do.

After Sony sees The Old Guard and how successful it has become, could it rethink its approach to the material as well? Gina Prince-Bythewood’s next order of business may be a sequel for The Old Guard if it's given the green light. She told us here on CinemaBlend there’s already conversations about how the story could continue, and as she put it: “it's pretty dope.”

You can stream The Old Guard on Netflix now. Check out our interview with the cast and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more movie news.

Surely one of the great joys of being an actor is the idea of transforming yourself and living with a totally different person’s experiences – but that’s an especially tricky and complex challenge when the character in question is an immortal. The kind of backstory one might do for a normal role becomes exponentially harder when you have to account for being alive for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. However, it very much helps if you have someone like The Old Guard director Gina Prince-Bythewood steering the ship.

In advance of the new Netflix action movie’s release on this weekend, I had the pleasure of conducting virtual video interviews late last month with the filmmaker and members of the Old Guard cast – including Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, and Luca Marinelli – and took the opportunity to ask them how they went about wrapping their minds around the film’s main characters, all of whom for some mysterious reason can’t die. Check out their responses by clicking play on the video below!

Based on the comic by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez, The Old Guard centers on a group of immortals – Andy (Charlize Theron), Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) – who have lived on Earth for hundreds of years. With the gift/curse of all that time, they together choose to dedicate their existences to try and generate the maximum amount of good in the world. Unfortunately they wind up getting hit with a serious double whammy of drama simultaneously, as the unit is first set up and exposed by a former CIA agent (Chiewtel Ejiofor) working for a powerful pharmaceutical executive (Harry Melling), and then they sense that a new person has joined their ranks as a marine named Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne) is killed while on tour in Afghanistan and then bizarrely wakes up without a scratch.

Having lived in entirely different epochs, Andy being the oldest, all of the immortal characters in the movie have complicated histories, and Gina Prince-Bythewood was excited even at just the prospect of fleshing them out and making them real. As the filmmaker told me, it really started in the casting process, as there was a special quality that she was looking for in all of her stars:

Once the selections were made, the next step was to make the characters stand out as individuals. While it’s true that the central team in The Old Guard has been together for an extremely long time when we first meet them in the movie, they all have pasts that extend beyond that portion of their existences, and have singular interests and experiences that shape who they are.

To help create the kind of authenticity that she wanted from her actors, Gina Prince-Bythewood worked with them individually and discussed with them the key things that she wanted them to focus on. This process had her talking to not only those playing the long-existing immortals, but also KiKi Layne, whose character’s time in the military is part of a familial tradition. Said the filmmaker,

Continuing, Gina Prince-Bythewood explained that having the chance to work with the actors on The Old Guard (and while directing in general) is one of the best parts of her gig, and she had nothing but tremendously nice things to say about her cast:

In just a few hours you’ll have the opportunity to see the finished results for yourself. The Old Guard will be available to stream for Netflix subscribers starting at midnight PST tonight – and we definitely recommend checking it out. Also be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from my interviews with the cast and filmmakers behind the new release!

Of the many fight scenes in The Old Guard, the showdown between the characters played by Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne while aboard plane is definitely a highlight. It’s the kind of fight that tells you a lot about those participating, while also featuring some intense and well-executed choreography. It’s particularly great that the scene is so wonderful, however, because it was a pivotal one for director Gina Prince-Bythewood during production.

I had the pleasure of doing a remote video interview with the Old Guard filmmaker late last month, and the subject of the plane fight was broached when I asked about the aspect of the film that proved to be the greatest challenge. As for why it’s that particular scene, there are many reasons, including (weirdly enough) a dash of aerophobia, and you can watch her discuss them by clicking play on the video below:

In the making of The Old Guard, Gina Prince-Bythewood found herself venturing into new territory as a filmmaker, having never before helmed an action movie. The majority of her career has been spent writing and directing character-based dramas like Love & Basketball, The Secret Life Of Bees and Beyond The Lights, so she didn’t have much experience with fight choreography going into the project. When filming began, however, a kind of “baptism by fire” schedule was put in place, giving Prince-Bythewood the opportunity to dive head-first into the most complex material – and that meant doing the plane fight on day one.

As she explained in the interview, setting things up that way wasn’t the original plan, but she ultimately realized that it would be best to take on the sequence immediately. Said Prince-Bythewood,

The filmmaker didn’t exactly decide to take it easy on herself either. Establishing her own “no shortcuts” policy for The Old Guard, she limited her angles on the scene to shooting within the contained space that was the body of a plane – which was itself raised on a gimbal so that the whole thing could shake to simulate turbulence. There were no removable parts of the set to provide extra freedom for camera movement.

Highlighting a drive for authenticity, Gina Prince-Bythewood told me,

All of that alone would have made for a suitable response to my original question, but there was a little cherry-on-top that came with her story. As it turns out, Gina Prince-Bythewood also happens to be what one might call “a bad flier,” and when the action began and the hydraulics kicked in, the scene’s realness had the effect of overwhelming her.

While that definitely doesn’t sound fun, it’s also remarkably cool to hear about a filmmaker get totally lost in the fictional world and story of what they are working on.

You can watch the badass final results of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s efforts to get The Old Guard’s plane fight scene perfect by checking out the clip from the movie below:

If you enjoyed that taste of the film, you’re going to dig the full thing – and you don’t have to wait too much longer to see it. The Old Guard, which stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Harry Melling, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, and Luca Marinelli in addition to Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne, will be available for Netflix subscribers at 12am PST on the streaming service, and between now and then be sure to stay tuned for more from my interview with the movie’s cast and filmmakers!

As far as superhero movies go for Sony, Spider-Man looms large. This is especially true when Sony wants to make a Spider-Man spinoff, like Venom. And, according to Silver and Black producer Gina Prince-Blythewood, there’s one question those at the studio are always asking when making a spinoff.

To help promote her new Netflix movie The Old Guard starring Charlize Theron, Gina Prince-Blythewood spoke with GamesRadar+ about that film and her connection with the long-in-development Silver and Black spinoff. Here’s the question Sony asks whenever there’s a Spidey spinoff:

This sounds like a perfectly reasonable question to ask when making a Spider-Man spinoff. After all, many of these supporting characters exist because of him. They might also need to ask this question because of their deal with Marvel and their desire to start including him more in future projects. Gina Prince-Blythewood later gives her upfront answer to the question:

For me, this question has already been answered with Venom’s box office success. Venom existed without Spider-Man showing up and fans seemed to eat it up. If the fans want it and they write a good story, there's little reason a Silver and Black movie (or TV show) couldn’t work without Spider-Man’s presence.

Originally, Gina Prince-Blythewood was set to direct the Silver and Black movie, but has since stepped away from it, and it now sounds like she will only be on in a producing capacity. Earlier this year, she spoke about how there have been discussions of splitting the movies into two for each character or making it a Disney+ series.

If Gina Prince-Blythewood won’t be directing the Silver and Black project, that’s a shame, considering the awesome trailer and the latest reviews for The Old Guard make it sound like that movie is kick-ass. Also, Gina Prince-Blythewood always sounds passionate about Silver and Black, so it would be cool to see her directorial talents put to use on that project, regardless of whatever final form it takes. Hopefully, The Old Guard is a success and she can move Silver and Black in a positive direction.

Stay tuned for more Spider-Man news as it drops.

Charlize Theron has spent decades proving herself as a remarkable talent and hyper-versatile performer, but she has demonstrated in the last few years a special acuity for action. Making everyone in the world completely forget about the existence of Aeon Flux, she created a genre icon with her turn as Furiosa in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road, and a few years later followed that up with a whole lot of ass-kicking as the lead in David Leitch’s Atomic Blonde. If the material is strong enough, Theron can apply her excellent skills and help create a legitimately badass adventure. The latest film to prove this is Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard.

Not only does the movie transform Charlize Theron into a hyper-lethal warrior armed with an ornate staff and an unyielding drive to do good, it activates the character in a world built with a strong mythology, and it pairs her with an equally-engaging crew that share a single fascinating trait: they are all immortal (or at least they are until they are mysteriously not). The narrative that plays out is mostly generic, playing out familiar twists and turns, but there are more than enough strengths to serve as counterweights and keep the audience thrilled throughout.

Scripted by Greg Rucka, the writer of the comic from which The Old Guard is adapted, the film begins introducing us to Andy (Charlize Theron), Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) – a group that has come together over the course of hundreds of years, as the revelation of a new immortal on Earth is something that all of them can collectively sense in their dreams. Led by Andy a.k.a. Andromache of Scythia, who is the oldest of all of them, they are driven to use their persistent lives on Earth to make a meaningful positive impact, and this involves taking on what are essentially mercenary missions that no other unit could survive.

They agree to take on a job given to them by a new client, an ex-CIA agent named Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), but it’s at this time that they are hit with a double whammy. It turns out that the contract was a setup just to see the immortals in action – Copley serving the interests of Merrick (Harry Melling), a powerful pharmaceutical executive interested in experimenting on the team – and shortly after their getaway they all get hit with visions of a new addition to their ranks: a marine operating in Afghanistan named Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne).

The Old Guard does a nice job engaging with the idea of being immortal, while building a strong mythology.

As is typical with these kinds of stories, The Old Guard utilizes the initiation of Nile (essentially the audience surrogate) as a vehicle to realistically deliver exposition, but it never feels bogged down or tired because the story it has to tell is richly detailed, well-constructed, and compelling. The concept of immortality is a fascinating one that the film explores thoughtfully from a wide variety of angles, and perceptions on it have a fantastic way of morphing the characters motivations, moralities, and convictions (heroes and villains alike). Everyone has their own place in the story, and it’s exciting to see the movie thinking on so many levels.

The drawback is that all of those ideas have to be packaged in what essentially operates as an origin story – which is to say it plays out a narrative that is less about being clever and complex by itself, and instead is present more as a tool for the film to say what it wants to say about its complicated protagonists and their place in the world. It has a hampering effect when reflecting on The Old Guard as a whole, but it’s more than serviceable, and it takes the appropriate steps to set up a sequel with great potential.

Anchored by action veteran Charlize Theron, the fight scenes pop and get creative.

One of the most exciting ways in which the film engages with the idea of immortality is through action and combat, and every set piece is exciting, cool, and well-shot. For a filmmaker who has never directed an action movie before, Gina Prince-Bythewood instincts prove excellent, as fights are not only stylish and clearly cut, coordinate well with the characters engaging. Pain may be a serious concern, but fatal blows are not, and it’s thrilling to see how that’s incorporated – especially in the more chaotic scenes.

Naturally, Charlize Theron is the regular scene-stealer, as you watch her mow down an entire room of armed soldiers all by her lonesome and buy every second of it. She’s operating at Keanu Reeves’ level now. Her co-stars, however, also prove to be quite dynamic in battle – particularly action movie first-timer KiKi Layne, who leans into her character’s military background to be a formidable ass-kicker in her own right. This is a genre she hopefully she continues to explore as her promising young career continues forward.

The Old Guard features an interesting collection of characters you ultimately want to see more of.

It often feels like a compulsion of films like these to foster a sense of individuality among the characters by giving each of the characters some kind of specialty or unique, standout trait, but one of The Old Guard’s strengths is that it doesn’t lean on that trope – instead letting personalities, histories, and relationships define them. This means that the movie leans more on the performances, but proves to be no issue. In this cast there are no weak links, and each of them are established in a way that makes you want to see their stories continue by the time the credits roll.

As a distributor, Netflix is having some nice success with the action genre in 2020, having this film follow Sam Hargrave’s Extraction release back in March. The Old Guard is another title that will keep you strapped to your sofa and holding your breath. Click play, and enjoy the ride.

Charlize Theron is a pro when it comes to the action films, as she’s gained more than a few credits over the course of her career. Still, even the most experienced action stars can suffer accidents on set, and that’s exactly what happened to Theron while she was filming Netflix’s The Old Guard. Yet it sounds like she handled things like a champ.

The actress revealed that during her last few weeks of shooting Gina Prince-Bythewood’s upcoming comic book adaptation, she tore a tendon in her left thumb. As she kept working, her co-workers would stress the seriousness of the injury, but Charlize Theron was able to push through the pain:

Charlize Theron would ultimately need three surgeries on her left arm after completing production on the film. But based on her comments to EW, it seems the actress has no regrets about how she chose to handle things.

Well, if that’s not commitment, I don’t know what is. It’s one thing for an actor to fully commit to a role mentally, but it’s a whole other thing to show that dedication physically. Though when actors sign on for physically demanding parts, they typically know what they’re getting into from the start.

These kinds of injuries can happen as early as pre-production, during which stars typically train to get prepared for the shoot. Charlize Theron actually cracked two of her back teeth while training for Atomic Blonde. And as with her thumb, the actress had to undergo surgery to repair the damage that was done.

007 star Daniel Craig also understands just how dangerous filming can become. While shooting the latest Bond flick, No Time To Die, the actor injured his ankle, which caused filming to be delayed.

Of course, actors aren’t the only ones who deal with on-set injuries, as stunt doubles typically bear the brunt of the pain. For instance, while rehearsing a scene for Dark Phoenix, Sophie Turner’s stunt double broke her leg. And in a more unfortunate situation, one stuntwoman who worked on Deadpool 2 actually lost her life. It’s for these reasons stunt actors are considered to be the unsung heroes of the industry.

Even though actors don’t put themselves through the ringer like their stunt counterparts do, cases like Charlize Theron’s shouldn’t be discounted. Her ability to work through the pain and finish out production is certainly commendable.

You can see her performance in The Old Guard when it hits Netflix on July 10.

For a while now, Sony has had plans to create its own Spider-Man shared universe. First on that list was Venom, which did well for itself at the box office and is already moving ahead with a sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage. But the success of that film still spurs a big question: Is Sony moving forward with their proposed Silver & Black movie?

Spidey fans eager to hear updates on this spin-off film should listen up because The Secret Life of Bees director Gina Prince-Blythewood recently shared her thoughts on her involvement with a Silver & Black movie and where the project currently stands. Here’s what she said:

Gina Prince-Blythewood's comments to The Hollywood Reporter are interesting, to say the least. Even though production is at a stand-still, it sounds like there’s a slight possibility it could see the light of day in some shape or form, whether it becomces two films or a streaming show on Disney+, alongside other Marvel shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Putting Silver Sable and Black Cat in their own limited series would likely help flesh the characters out more, but I can see why Gina Prince-Blythewood would also want to see them on the silver screen instead.

Sony announced plans for the Silver & Black team-up movie in 2017, with Gina Prince-Blythewood helming the project. Back then, it seemed like the studio wanted to move fast, as it the project was scheduled to be released sometime in 2019. Of course, that never happened and the production was put on an indefinite hiatus.

While we don’t know officially what this movie would be about, some earlier reports said it would follow Silver Sable, a mercenary from Symkaria, as she hunted down Black Cat. Black Cat would be the key to the movie’s main antagonist, and the two antiheroines would eventually team up against that villain.

It’s hard to say if anything will come of Silver & Black but, based on Gina Prince-Blythewood’s remarks, it doesn't sound like it's entirely dead in the water, yet. If anything, it seems like Sony is taking the time to make the best project it can for the best medium. Or, considering Venom’s success, perhaps Sony is waiting to see how well its sequel will do before pulling the trigger on other projects. It’s all fan speculation at this point, but it’s good to know something might still be brewing in a mad scientist lab somewhere. In the meantime, Morbius -- the next installment in Sony's Spider-Man franchise -- is scheduled to be released on March 19, 2021 ahead of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which drops on June 25, 2021.

Even though Sony has found success with Spider-Man through a partnership with Marvel Studios, the studio is still trying to get their own thing off the ground. Sony is building its own cinematic universe using Spider-Man side characters, which will include Silver and Black, a Silver Sable and Black Cat team-up movie. We don't know much about it, but now we at least know when we can see it. Sony has set Silver and Black with a release date for 2019, arriving just in time for Valentine's Day.

Courtesy of a tweet from Exhibitor Relations, Silver and Black will be hitting theaters on February 8, 2019. Assuming this release date sticks, that means the movie will be coming out the same weekend as The LEGO Movie 2, which could be a poor match-up for the superhero movie. The LEGO Movie was a big success, and there's no reason to think its sequel won't follow in its footsteps just yet. The following weekend it'll have to contend with Bride of Frankenstein and an untitled Fox/Marvel project, so we'll have to wait and see how that turns out.

Silver and Black will be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, currently its only saving grace. The film is a result of Sony trying to create its own cinematic universe using characters related to Spider-Man. Silver and Black, as well as the upcoming Venom movie, may or may not be connected to Spider-Man: Homecoming and the MCU. Those close to production have been somewhat vague on how this is going to work, but there's a good chance that the movies don't actually have anything to do with Spider-Man.

Starring Marvel anti-heroes Silver Sable and Black Cat, not much is actually known about the film. A few rumors have pointed to the two women being forced to join up after one of Black Cat's heists goes bad. According to rumors, Silver Sable will remain close to her comic book origins, being a bounty hunter from the nation of Symkaria. In the film she is hunting down antagonist Mendell Stromm for his experimentations on her people. And she recruits Black Cat, who stole something from Stromm, to help her. Appearances from other Spider-Man villains are also on the table, such as Scorpion, Tarantula, Chameleon, and Kraven the Hunter. No one has yet been cast in the title roles.

Silver and Black is set to hit theaters on February 8, 2019. Make sure to keep up with CinemaBlend and we'll be sure to keep you updated with new information as soon as it becomes available. For all the movies hitting theaters this year, head on over to our 2017 upcoming movies release guide to better plan the rest of your theater trips.

Sony is definitely trying to have its cake and eat it too when it comes to Spider-Man. Along with working on Spider-Man: Homecoming and Peter Parker's involvement in the MCU with Marvel Studios, Sony is also starting to craft its own Marvel universe with Spider-Man characters. Along with a Venom movie (which will star Tom Hardy as the symbiote-powered anti-hero and be directed by Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer), the studio has a movie centered around Black Cat and Silver Sable in the works, and The Secret Life of Bees director and writer Gina Prince-Bythewood will be the one helming it.

Along with revealing the Black Cat and Silver Sable movie's title, Silver & Black, THR also dropped the news that Gina Prince-Bythewood will direct the anti-heroine tale. Along with The Secret Life of Bees, Prince-Bythewood's other credits include Love & Basketball, Biker Boyz and Beyond the Light. This isn't her only superhero project in the works either, as she's also directing the pilot for the Freeform series Cloak & Dagger. Thor: Ragnarok screenwriter Chris Yost is tacking Silver & Black's most recent draft, and Westworld creator Lisa Joy previously worked on the script.

Both Black Cat and Silver Sable have been antagonists and allies to Spider-Man in the comics. Black Cat, a.k.a Felicia Hardy, is best known as a talented cat burglar. She's enjoyed a flirtatious relationship with the Wall-Crawler and has gotten him out of a few jams, but in recent years she's deeply embraced her villainy and become a notorious organized crime boss. Silver Sable, a.k.a. Silver Sablinova, was originally the leader of the Wild Pack, a team of mercenaries that hunted war criminals for the nation of Symkaria. Although she's come to blows with Spider-Man several times when he's interfered with her operations, more often than not they're on the same side. While Silver Sable hasn't appeared in any Spider-Man movies, Felicia Hardy was played by Felicity Jones in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and had that series continued, she would have assumed her feline identity.

Following The Amazing Spider-Man 2's underwhelming performance in 2014, Sony teamed up with Marvel to incorporate Peter Parker into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Silver & Black and Venom will not be connected to Spider-Man: Homecoming or anything MCU-related. These Spider-centric offshoots will exist in a separate continuity, just like what 20th Century Fox does with the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties. Sony had previously intended to build a Spider-Man cinematic universe when the Amazing Spider-Man series was still running, but now the company is going about it in a different way.

Silver & Black is aiming to begin filming this fall, but no release date has been assigned yet. Keep checking in with CinemaBlend for more updates on the project as they come in.