Andrew Niccol’s 2005 film Lord of War does not immediately seem like a movie in need of a sequel. Starring Nicolas Cage in one of his finer roles before going off the deep end for a while, it centered on arms dealer Yuri Orlov, largely based on the real-life merchant of death Viktor Bout. The box office was pretty good with $72M, and so were the reviews. But who wants to watch a movie about a guy who sells guns? Especially in today’s climate?
Well, we’re getting a sequel anyway. Lord of War and CODA studio Vendôme Pictures confirms that Cage will reprise his role as Orlov in Lords of War. And this time he’ll be joined by Bill Skarsgård, who will play Orlov’s adult son. Interestingly, the son isn’t interested in stopping his father’s criminal empire. Instead, he wants to surpass it.
“There is so much more to explore with these characters,” said Niccol. “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.”
Niccol’s most recent film was 2018’s Anon. He’s known best for his debut feature, 1997’s Gattaca, which is considered a sci-fi classic but Niccol has never really lived up that promising start.
Look for Lords of War to be a popular package for sale on the Cannes market.