Exciting news for fans of action movies and two of Hollywood’s most talented actors: Nicolas Cage and Bill Skarsgård have been cast in the upcoming sequel to the 2005 film “Lord of War.” The original film, directed by Andrew Niccol, starred Cage as Yuri Orlov, an international arms dealer, and was a critical and commercial success.
The sequel, titled “Lords of War,” has been in development for several years, and it appears that production is finally moving forward. The new film will reportedly pick up where the original left off, following the exploits of Yuri Orlov as he continues to navigate the dangerous world of arms dealing.
“Lords of War” finds Orlov (Cage), the world’s most notorious gunrunner, as he discovers that he has a son, Anton (Skarsgård), who is trying to top his dad. Anton is amassing a mercenary army to fight America’s Middle East conflicts. This triggers an intergenerational bitter rivalry, one that pits father and son against each other.
“There is so much more to explore with these characters,” Niccol said. “Plato said it best — ‘Only the dead have seen the end of war.’ I’m looking forward to spending more time in the company of the charming devil that is Yuri Orlov and now his illegitimate son — who turns out to not be legitimate in any way.”
Commenting on the film, Vendôme’s Philippe Rousselet said: “The ‘Lord of War’ world has no shortage of ammunition in the possibilities of stories we can tell, and we are very excited to tell yet another one that follows Yuri and Anton’s dangerous journey”.
Niccol is a writer and director best known for his work on the “The Truman Show” screenplay, which landed him an Academy Award nomination. He went on to direct his own screenplays with credits including: “Anon” starring Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried; “Good Kill” starring Ethan Hawke, January Jones and Zoe Kravitz; and “The Host” starring Saoirse Ronan.
Cage won an Academy Award for his performance in “Leaving Las Vegas” and was nominated for “Adaptation.” Recent credits include “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” “Pig” and “Renfield.”
Skarsgård most recently starred in “John Wick: Chapter 4” alongside Keanu Reeves and will appear in the reimagining of “The Crow,” which is directed by Rupert Sanders.
