After a long delay, Andrew Niccol’s “Lord of War” sequel finally started production in late November. Vertical has now acquired the U.S. distribution rights, and the film is slated for a 2027 theatrical release, with first footage set to be previewed at CinemaCon next week.
This isn’t necessarily 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—helping ensure fewer films get left without distribution and giving more room for unconventional or outlier projects to find an audience.
In “Lord of War,” released in 2005, Nicolas Cage played illegal arms dealer Yuri Orlov, inspired by the stories of several real-life arms dealers and smugglers, but, primarily, Viktor Bout. The film dealt head-on with the issue of illicit arms trafficking by the international arms industry. It was, and still is, an incredibly relevant story.
Cage is set to return. Bill Skarsgård will play Orlov’s son in the sequel. Laura Harrier Is there as well in an undisclosed role. Variety is reporting the cast has been locked. Sylvia Hoeks (“Blade Runner 2049”) and Greg Tarzan Davis (“Top Gun: Maverick”) complete the ensemble.
I really liked “Lord of War,” which featured another stellar performs center from Cage. Niccol will be back to write and direct the sequel which was shot in numerous countries including Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Senegal and Mali.
In the sequel, Orlov discovers he has a son, Anton (Skarsgård), who is trying to top 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.
Niccol, best known for writing “The Truman Show” and directing the great “Gattaca,” hasn’t been as active in the film scene in recent years. His last film was 2018’s ill-received “Anon.” These last ten years, Niccol has been struggling to make a good movie, his last few have been pretty bad: “In Time,” “The Host,” “Good Kill” all came and went without much fanfare. Here’s hoping ‘Lords of War 2’ puts him back on track.
Meanwhile, Cage keeps piling up the projects. On IMDB, he has 120 acting credits to his name. In 2025, he starred in a couple of B-movies (“The Gunslingers,” “The Carpenter’s Son”) and shot David O. Russell’s “Madden.” He’s also the lead in Sony’s “Spider-Noir” series and recently shot the David Mamet-penned “The Prince” which is inspired by the life and times of one Hunter Biden.
Just five Cannes competition titles still seek U.S. distribution, four of them subpar, all French. The fifth, and easily the best film still without US studio attachment, is Ira Sachs’ “The Man I Love.”