Having burst out of the blocks with high-concept scripts for The Truman Show and self-directed sci-fi joint Gattaca, Andrew Niccols changed pace in 2004 with Nicolas Cage starrer Lord Of War — a loosely-based-on-a-true-story thriller charting the dangerous rise of Yuri Orlov, an arms dealer inspired by real-life Russian weapons manufacturer Viktor Bout. Now, over two decades later, Lords Of War is heading our way, bringing with it the return of Cage’s charming devil Orlov and the introduction of his mercenary son Anton (Bill Skarsgård) — a chip off the old block with even grander arms-based designs than his old man. Check out the teaser trailer below;
Bullets flying? Check. Explosives detonating? Check. Orlov Jr. Anton hunting down his dad while a back-in-black Cage tries to figure out why his spawn wants him dead? That’ll be another check. Now, full disclosure, we weren’t entirely sure why a Lord Of War sequel was needed when it was first announced, and we still aren’t 100% certain what exactly is going on between Yuri and son, either. But — but! — it looks like Cage and Skarsgård are all limbered up and ready to chew the scenery together here as the action hops between Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Senegal, and Mali among other locations, and the idea of the son not only repeating but escalating the sins of the father — both at work and in his personal life — is hooky enough to have us intrigued at the very least.
The synopsis for Lords Of War — which elsewhere stars Laura Harrier, Sylvia Hoeks, and Greg Tarzan Davies — reads: “When Yuri discovers a ruthless mercenary mastermind (Bill Skarsgård) bent on destroying his legacy is building a private army, he is thrust into a blood-soaked and bullet-riddled battle to the death. What begins as a shocking revelation ignites a fierce rivalry fueled by power, ambition, and betrayal.”
With Cage — recently on a tear with the likes of Spider-Noir, Longlegs, The Surfer, and Dream Scenario — back in one of his most interesting roles, Niccol once again at the helm, and Bill Skarsgård entering the fray, colour us cautiously intrigued to see whether Lords Of War reigns as a top-notch thriller or winds up a pretender to the original movie’s throne when it releases on January 22, 2027.