After a long delay, Andrew Niccol's "Lord of War" sequel has not only been shot (production wrapped in May), but Vertical has also acquired the U.S. distribution rights and slated the film, titled "Lords of War," for a winter 2027 theatrical release.
We now have a trailer for "Lords of War," set to a Green Day track, and as much as I liked the first one, is there really any reason for this film to exist? The 2005 film was based on a real-life figure, Viktor Bout, who was released to Russia by the U.S. government in 2022 in exchange for WNBA star Brittney Griner.
If “Lord of War” was loosely based on real events concerning Bout, then “Lords of War” is total fabrication, they have decided to invent a story. In the sequel, Cage’s Yuri Orlov — an illegal arms — discovers he has a son, Anton (Skarsgård), who is trying to outdo his father's wrongs rather than stop them as he launches a mercenary army to interfere in America's Middle East conflicts. The tension between father and son intensifies, spilling over into bitter rivalries, even over the same women.
The distributor this film landed with isn't a strong indicator of quality, as indie distributors like Vertical, along with labels such as Ketchup Entertainment and Briarcliff Entertainment, often pick up films that other studios pass on. That said, these companies play an important role, ensuring fewer films are left without distribution and giving unconventional or outlier projects more room to find an audience.
Cage is set to return, and Bill Skarsgård will play Orlov's son. Laura Harrier also appears in an undisclosed role, while Sylvia Hoeks ("Blade Runner 2049") and Greg Tarzan Davis ("Top Gun: Maverick") complete the ensemble.
I really liked "Lord of War," which I haven’t rewatched since its release over 20 years ago. Niccol is back to write and direct the sequel, which was shot in numerous countries, including Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Senegal and Mali.
Niccol, best known for writing "The Truman Show" and directing the great "Gattaca," hasn't been very active in recent years. His last film was 2018's poorly received "Anon." He has struggled to make a good movie for over a decade, and his previous few, "In Time," "The Host" and "Good Kill," came and went without much fanfare. Here's hoping "Lords of War" puts him back on track.
Meanwhile, Cage keeps piling up projects. He has 120 acting credits to his name on IMDb. In 2025, he starred in a couple of B-movies ("The Gunslingers," "The Carpenter's Son") and shot David O. Russell's "Madden." He also led Sony's "Spider-Noir" series and recently shot the David Mamet-penned "The Prince," which is inspired by the life and times of Hunter Biden.
"Wildwood" was the top film on Tuesday, pulling in $2M and edging past everything else in theaters. It's also a slight bump from last Tuesday's number, which almost rarely happens for a film in its second week.