Back in 2022, it was announced that Adam Wingard and his longtime collaborator, writer Simon Barrett, were working on a sequel to 1997’s “Face/Off.” The following year, Wingard stated that the sequel would see the return of Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) and Sean Archer (John Travolta).
We now have an update, via Collider, that Wingard has dropped out of directing the “Face/Off” sequel. The project is now an open assignment at Paramount, with the studio permitting directors to pitch their own take and potentially drive it into production.
Back in 2024, Wingard had described the sequel as “full steam ahead,” calling the script he reviewed “amazing.” However, things clearly seem to have changed since then—Wingard is a busy man, and it’s quite possible that he simply couldn’t fit this project into his itinerary.
The only way a “Face/Off” sequel could work is if the two original leads returned. Please do not reboot this movie. Much of the fun came from the bonkers alchemy that was created between Cage and Travolta. You can’t replicate that kind of chemistry with any other actors.
You’re also probably wondering how Cage could possibly return for the sequel if his character was shot by a harpoon and killed at the end of the original. Well, it’s quite simple, really—Barrett, who is writing the sequel, has previously mentioned that he doesn’t believe Castor Troy—played by Cage—actually died.
Wingard is coming off his “Godzilla x Kong” movies and recently shot A24’s “Onslaught,” written by Barrett, which has been billed as his return to the indie roots that sparked “You’re Next” and “The Guest.”