Nicolas Cage and Bill Skarsgård Team Up for the New Sequel ‘Lords Of War’ with Vertical Productions
Vertical Acquires U.S. Rights to Andrew Niccol’s ‘Lords of War’
Vertical has secured U.S. distribution rights to "Lords of War," a crime thriller directed by Oscar nominee Andrew Niccol. This early presale deal involves collaboration with Vendôme Pictures, the Oscar-winning studio behind "CODA," which financed and produced the film.
Vertical plans to showcase footage from the film at CinemaCon next week in Las Vegas, ahead of its anticipated theatrical release in 2027.
"Lords of War" serves as a sequel to the 2005 film "Lord of War," which featured Oscar winner Nicolas Cage. In this installment, Cage reprises his role as Yuri Orlov, a renowned arms dealer. The plot thickens when Yuri learns he has a son, Anton (played by Bill Skarsgård), a mercenary intent on outdoing his father by building a private army and exploiting America’s conflicts in the Middle East. This family dynamic ignites a fierce rivalry marked by ambition, power, and betrayal, as the complexities of the global arms trade unfold.
The original "Lord of War" grossed $72 million at the global box office.
Recently completed in Morocco, "Lords of War" showcases a cast that includes Laura Harrier ("White Men Can’t Jump"), Sylvia Hoeks ("A Sacrifice"), and Greg Tarzan Davis ("Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning"). Niccol not only directed the film but also wrote the screenplay.
The production team includes Philippe Rousselet and Fabrice Gianfermi, who both contributed to the original film, alongside Niccol and Cage, who is part of Saturn Films. Executive producers are Bill Skarsgård, Alice Dawson, Graham Taylor and Christopher Slager from Fifth Season, as well as Vertical’s Rich Goldberg and Peter Jarowey.
The deal was negotiated by Jarowey for Vertical, with Vendôme Pictures and CAA Media Finance representing the filmmakers. International sales are managed by FilmNation Entertainment.
