“Lord of War” is one of Nicolas Cage’s best films, but it’s not one that often gets brought up in conversation about his work. After all, he doesn’t give a deranged, grandiose performance like in “Face/Off,” and the story isn’t overblown or based on a well-known figure like “Renfield.” Instead, it is a 2005 drama written and directed by “The Truman Show” writer Andrew Niccol.
The film follows Cage as an illegal arms dealer who works across the globe, selling weapons regardless of the atrocities being committed, usually on both sides of a conflict. Of course, he eventually goes crazy and becomes the target of the very people he sells weapons to. The film also starred Ethan Hawke, Ian Holm, Jared Leto, and Bridge Moynahan. It received decent reviews and was a relative commercial success, but “Lord of War” is definitely not the kind of Nic Cage movie that screams for a sequel, or that has a demanding cult following. And yet, that’s exactly what we’re getting, because “Lord of War 2” is officially on the way. Almost 20 years after the release of the first, Nicolas Cage will return in “Lords of War.”
The project is still in the early stages of production, but in the meantime, here’s everything we know so far about Lords of War.
This is what we know about the release of Lords of War
“Lords of War” is still a long way from release, unfortunately. In a press release, it was announced that the movie is expected to start filming during the fall of 2023, so in theory it could be ready for a late 2024 or early 2025 release, depending on whether there’s a script. ready and any delays caused by failed negotiations between the studios and the Writers Guild of America, plus any VFX work to be done – the first film was full of gunfights, so there could be some effects in the sequel.
As for the release date, that will have to wait. FilmNation Entertainment and CAA Media Finance will be bringing the film to the Cannes Film Festival to secure distribution rights in the US and internationally, so look forward to more news including a specific release soon.
This is what we know about the plot of Lords of War
The first film was mainly about Nicolas Cage’s Yuri Orlov (a fictional arms dealer inspired by several real ones) and his brother Vitaly, who is killed when he decides to walk away from the business due to his involvement in atrocities in Sierra Leone.
“Lords of War” will once again focus on Yuri, only this time he discovers that he has a son, named Anton. Unlike Vitaly, Anton is not going against Yuri’s business at all, he is trying to outdo his father, selling weapons and even raising an army of mercenaries to fight in the Middle Eastern conflicts in which the United States is involved. . According to the press release, “This is the story of Yuri and Anton’s bitter rivalry, even over the same woman. Who will prevail when father and son go to war?
Writer-director Andrew Nicol said in a press release that “there’s so much more to explore with these characters,” which, well, isn’t necessarily the impression the first film gave. Adding to the comment, returning producer Philippe Rousselet said that “the world of ‘Lord of War’ has no shortage of ammunition in the possibilities of the stories we can tell”, which could imply that they are thinking of multiple movies and spin-offs. It’s unclear why exactly a story about an arms dealer who doesn’t care about the collateral damage his work causes warrants follow-up, but given the rise of mass shootings as an epidemic in the US, say.
Here’s What We Know About the Lords of War Cast and Crew
In addition to Nicolas Cage, Andrew Niccol will return to write and direct “Lords of War,” with Philippe Rousselet and Fabrice Gianfermi (“CODA”) also returning to produce the sequel under the Vendôme Pictures banner.
The big casting news for “Lords of War” is that the role of Yuri’s son, Anton, will go to Bill Skarsgård. Skarsgård’s most recent role as Marquis Vincent de Gramont in “John Wick: Chapter 4” is arguably the one that could provide the biggest clue as to Skarsgård’s role in “Lords of War.” The marquis is a contemptible type, but more calculating and distant. He doesn’t fight himself, but washes his hands of countless atrocities like Yuri did in “Lord of War”.
