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Nicolas Cage returns as the world’s most notorious arms dealer in the first teaser for Lords of War, the long-awaited sequel to the 2005 crime thriller Lord of War. The film is scheduled to be released by Vertical on January 22, 2027.
The story begins several years after an arms dealer made a fateful deal with a Sierra Leone militia in Africa. His legacy is suddenly threatened by a mercenary leader who is raising a large private army. He soon discovers that the man is his illegitimate son, Anton.
Bill Skarsgård plays Anton, who is just as ruthless as his father. The two men compete for power, influence, and even the same woman, and become embroiled in a bloody fight to the death where ambition and betrayal turn the families into bitter rivals. The story unfolds against the backdrop of America’s wars in the Middle East and highlights how arms dealers encourage death and destruction for profit.
Andrew Nichol, who wrote and directed the first film, returned to write and direct the sequel. The character is partly based on real-life criminal Viktor Bout.
A sequel was first announced for 2023, with production scheduled for later that year and in 2024. Plans changed and the project began in late 2025. The original found a second life as an audience favorite on DVD after grossing $72.6 million at the box office, which was below expectations.
Lords of War will be released on January 22, 2027 via Vertical.