John Woo’s 1997 hit Face/Off stands out as one of the quintessential action movies, embodying the best of the 90s cinema. In 2019, Paramount Pictures excited fans with news of a new Face/Off movie in the works, and by 2021, it was confirmed to be a sequel, not a remake. Fans of Nicolas Cage have been eagerly anticipating Castor Troy and Sean Archer’s return to the silver screen, and now the film’s helmer has an update. Adam Wingard has been attached to write and direct and has recently explained the reasons behind the delayed progress of the sequel.
In a recent interview with i09, director Adam Wingard opened up about his upcoming movie, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, set to premiere later this month. He shared insights into the anticipated sequel team-up between The Eighth Wonder of the World and the King of the Monsters, as well as his eagerly awaited adaptation of the 1980s cartoon series Thundercats. Additionally, Wingard provided an update for Face/Off fans on the progress of the sequel:
Almost in the middle of production [on Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire], we were finishing our draft of the script and because both of us were too busy working on other things there was a plan to do a rewrite, and we picked a writer to work on it. And then the writers’ strike happened so that delayed things. Right now that’s still inactive, so I think the plan with that one will be that writer will continue working, and whenever that draft is done, Simon and I will get it back and we’ll take another crack at it.
This is not likely the update moviegoers looking forward to Cage’s return as one of the meanest movie villains of the 90s. Still, it’s good to know the project isn’t dead–especially after hearing Nicholas’s wild plot description for the sequel. I need to see this movie!
Adam Wingard’s next move remains uncertain, but Thundercats will likely move ahead of the Face/Off sequel in his queue. Wingard has shared a much more promising update on that project’s front:
Simon [Barrett] and I are still actively working on the script. We finished our last draft basically right when I was going into production on this movie and we just had to put everything on hold. [But] right now we’re actively working on it again. So whether that means that’s the next thing I do or [not], I’m not sure. But it’s definitely one of the top priorities I have right now in terms of working on a script.
Whether Adam Wingard tackles Thundercats or Face/Off 2 next—though many, like myself, want a bit more Crazy Cage and are hoping for the latter—we’ll keep you informed. In the meantime, his newest film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, is set to stomp its way into theaters and join the 2024 movie lineup on March 29. Also, the previous entry, Godzilla vs. Kong, is available to stream with a Max (formerly HBO Max) subscription.
The OG Face/Off can be enjoyed with a Paramount+ subscription.