Sequel to Nicolas Cage’s Cult Classic ’90s Sci-Fi Film Gets Hit With a Terrible Update

by

With memorable performances from Nicolas Cage and John Travolta, and director John Woo’s signature flair, Face/Off is a classic action film from the 1990s. The movie has remained popular for years, and a sequel was eventually announced. However, despite initial excitement, the project hasn’t moved forward much in recent years. Unfortunately, fans will now have to wait even longer, as the sequel has recently encountered a major problem.

According to Collider, Adam Wingard will no longer be directing the upcoming film Face/Off 2. He had been working on the project since 2021. Paramount Pictures is now looking for a new director and will allow filmmakers to submit their ideas and potentially take the lead on the film’s development and production.

Will Face/Off 2 Still Happen Following Adam Wingard’s Departure?

While it’s sad to learn Adam Wingard is no longer directing Face/Off 2, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. The sequel had been stalled for a while, and Wingard mentioned in 2024 that the writers strike had slowed down script development. He and his collaborator, Simon Barrett, were waiting to review a draft from another writer. Then, Wingard began working on the action thriller Onslaught (currently in post-production), which probably meant Face/Off was put on hold.

Paramount first announced a new Face/Off movie in 2019, so starting the project over from scratch after seven years wasn’t ideal. It’s unclear what happened to the script director Adam Wingard was reviewing, but Paramount seems to be beginning anew. Rather than asking a director to work with a pre-existing version of Face/Off 2, the studio is now open to hearing fresh ideas. This creative freedom should be good for the film, allowing the director to create their vision. However, it probably means Face/Off 2 is still a long way off. Paramount needs to evaluate pitches, choose one, and then develop a final script before filming can begin.

Since the Skydance merger, Paramount is focusing on well-known franchises to strengthen its movie lineup. That’s why projects like another Star Trek film and Top Gun 3 are moving forward, and why Face/Off 2 is also being considered. The original Face/Off was a popular and successful movie, and sequels that revisit established stories are currently trending in Hollywood. However, it’s possible Paramount is starting this project too late. The original film came out almost 30 years ago, and stars John Travolta and Nicolas Cage are older now. Their chemistry was key to the first movie’s success, and a sequel wouldn’t have the same impact without them.

While Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves have shown that age doesn’t necessarily limit action stars, it’s realistic to expect that John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, at 72 and 62 respectively, will eventually find it harder to do the physically demanding work required for action movies. On top of that, creating a good story for a Face/Off 2 has been surprisingly difficult. The first Face/Off movie had a complete and satisfying storyline, and even the original stars feel a sequel isn’t really needed. If the story problems continue, Paramount might be wise to leave the original Face/Off as it is, rather than trying to make a sequel that doesn’t quite work.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/nicolas-cages-action-movies-ranked-face-off-the-rock/embed/#

Read More

2026-02-20 20:14