‘We are not these superheroes that float somewhere above reality’

We are used to superheroes that come complete with a variety of superhuman powers — flight, strength, x-ray vision — not to mention the accompanying bells and whistles of capes, hammers and shields.

But the heroes at the centre of new film The Old Guard, based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Beyond The Lights’ Gina Prince-Bythewood, all have the same mysterious power in common. They are centuries-old immortals and they cannot die.

They now work as a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries, who have been fighting to protect the mortal world for centuries, but that is all thrown into jeopardy when they discover someone is onto their secret.

“We are not these superheroes that float somewhere above reality,” says Matthias Schoenaerts, who plays the immortal Booker in the film. “Actually we are quite tangible and people can identify with that.”

In fact the team, led by Charlize Theron’s Andy (short for Andromache of Scythia) and new recruit and former Marine Nile, played by Kiki Layne — as well as Marwan Kenzari’s Joe and Luca Marinelli’s Nicky — end up grappling with the very human issues of what it means to be alive and what the value of life really is.

“That was something that resonates with a lot of things that are unexpectedly going on in the world today,” the 42-year-old Belgian actor adds, “so people can identify with the emotional process of what these characters go through.”

“It really goes to the heart of the matter, what makes life special,” adds his British co-star Chiwetel Ejofor, who plays a former CIA agent who recruits the team for a job. “What makes life worth living and is it the fact that it doesn’t last forever?

“I think that is the great existential question. I think in all of our mythology and storytelling, eternal life is this recurring theme, so many things have tried to discuss it.

“But what I loved about this was that there was something very gritty and almost brutal about the way they carried the burden of this supernatural, eternal quality.

“I loved the questions that it raised, ethical, moral questions about what should be done with these people and whether they offer something to the greater good and whether that can be monetised, all of these questions which would definitely come up if this happened, so all of that I thought was really fascinating.”

“The fact they cannot die means they have to deal with eternity and immortality,” Schoenaerts adds. “After I read the screenplay, I discovered the graphic novel, which is very different to other graphic novels that I’m used to and I was curious how we were going to be able to translate it to the screen.”

One aspect of that is the relationship between Nicky and Joe, who fought on opposite sides during the Crusades, but fell in love after they discovered their immortality. “They met each other as each other’s enemies first, and we are seeing them as they have been together for many, many, many years,” Kenzari, 37, says.

“The level of the love between them is so profound and so deep and it goes further than anything that we might know since they are that old, so that is an extraordinary element in their relationship.”

But their relationship and the group’s very existence comes under threat from the sinister pharmaceutical executive Steven Merrick, played by Harry Potter star Harry Melling, 31, who sends operatives to capture them and learn the secrets of their abilities in the hopes of monetising and exploiting them.

And the actor was fascinated by the commentary on the role big tech and big pharma plays in modern life. “When I got sent the script my first point of call was to research pharmaceutical companies and young entrepreneurs and see what they were up to and it is shady, certainly,” he says.

“It’s very complicated and often what happens is a good, noble venture turns very quickly into something else and that seemed to be the reoccurring theme, certainly for these kind to companies, so that is what I drew from that bit of research.”

The actors were also impressed by the work of Prince-Bythewood, who was best known for her smaller character-driven dramas including the cult hit Love and Basketball before turning her hand to a blockbuster.

“One of the amazing thing about Gina was she was adamant in representation and diversity on the screen,” says Melling. “Not only on the screen, but off screen as well, so many strong female creatives involved and it was just really exciting to be a part of that.

“It always trickles down from the top, I always say that, and what your leaders are doing, or your director, it always trickles down, so it was very exciting to be on set with Gina.”

Ejiofor, 43, nods in agreement, adding: “I really enjoyed Beyond The Lights and I was excited to see what she did with something of this size and making it personal. That is our real gift, making all of these things ring true on an emotional level and these personal dynamics really work and this great array of characters that she’s using.

“These inter-personal dynamics are quite rare, so seeing her approach the action genre but from this very interesting point of view and having these great female leads is really powerful and I was really engaged with that part of the script.” The Old Guard is streaming on Netflix in the UK and Ireland now.