Nicolas Cage’s 122-Minute Thriller Movie Is Secretly One Of His Best, And a Sequel Is Coming Next Year

Skip to content Nicolas Cage has made some pretty wild movies, but every now and then, it’s worth remembering just how charismatic he can be. He has a wide range and his skills really come through when he isn’t playing a guy who’s completely lost his mind. Don’t get me wrong. Those movies have their place, too. But Cage delivered one of his most interesting performances back in 2005, and it didn’t involve him going completely over the top. Instead, he played a man who made a living selling weapons around the world. He basically become the person in charge of inciting most global conflicts and wars. Charming, isn’t he?

What’s interesting is that the movie has become even more worth revisiting with time. There’s a sequel coming in 2027, which means Cage is returning to a character he hasn’t played in more than 20 years. That’s a long time to leave a role behind, but this isn’t exactly the kind of story that easily runs out of material. And if you haven’t watched the original, well, you’ve got some catching up to do. Over the years, Cage’s devotion to the craft have really showed, and not to mention, Nicolas Cage has quite the talent for acting.

Lord of War came out in 2005, with Andrew Niccol directing Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlov, an arms dealer who knows how to make a sale. And he’s good at it. Yuri can talk his way through just about anything, which comes in handy when your customers are warlords and your merchandise is guns. Cage has a lot of fun with the role, but he never turns Yuri into a cartoon villain. The guy genuinely believes he has his business figured out. That’s what makes watching him so fascinating. He’s not exactly the sort of person you’d invite over for dinner, but you’d probably listen to him talk for hours.

Jared Leto plays Yuri’s brother, Vitaly, while Ethan Hawke stars as the Interpol agent trying to bring him down. The movie has some terrific moments, but Cage is the main attraction. He’s playing a man who knows exactly how to sell himself, even when the product is something as horrifying as weapons of war. And that’s where the movie gets uncomfortable. Yuri wants to believe he’s just a businessman meeting a demand. The people on the receiving end of those weapons aren’t exactly enjoying the arrangement. Lord of War runs for 122 minutes, and it has plenty to say about the arms trade without turning into a lecture. It’s a clever, darkly funny thriller, and one of those Cage performances that deserves to come up more often when people discuss his best work. Check this famous scene out.

As you can see from this clip, Orlov’s career and lifestyle aren’t quite as glamorous as one might imagine. There are all kinds of challenges and unpredictable predicaments one must face, especially when living a life of crime. His job is certainly nothing to aspire to; if anything, it serves as a symbolic examination of how the world allows someone like him to thrive. The film also draws an interesting parallel between greed and capitalism without becoming too heavy-handed. Yuri gets to travel the world like a pseudo-James Bond while profiting off the violence of others. Yet he seems to go to great lengths to remain oblivious to the true consequences of what he’s selling. The clip brings this contradiction to light when Orlov appears disturbed by how casually the warlord kills one of his own soldiers. The irony is palpable: Yuri makes a living supplying the instruments of violence, yet seems uncomfortable when confronted with that violence firsthand.

Cage is coming back as Yuri Orlov in Lords of War, with Andrew Niccol returning to write and direct. That’s a pretty good start, considering how much the original got right. The sequel is expected in 2027, and Yuri has a new problem to deal with. Turns out, his son has followed him into the arms business. Because apparently one arms dealer in the family wasn’t enough. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s a father-son dynamic at play and what kind of angle that will bring. It’s not everyday someone can claim that their father supplies weapons across the globe for nearly every battle or war.

Bill Skarsgård joins the cast as Anton, Yuri’s previously unknown son. Unfortunately for dear old dad, Anton has followed him into the arms trade and is building a mercenary army of his own. He also wants to surpass his father, which probably isn’t the sort of family ambition Yuri was hoping to hear about. Laura Harrier, Sylvia Hoeks, and Greg Tarzan Davis are also part of the cast. There’s a lot of potential in that setup, especially with Niccol returning to the material. And hey, Cage has played Superman and Spider-Man at this point. The original movie explored a business that thrives on conflict, and a sequel about Yuri facing a younger version of himself could take that idea in an interesting direction. Of course, we’ll have to see how it all comes together. But Cage revisiting one of his more compelling characters is a good reason to keep this one on the radar. Are you in for this, or do you think one movie was enough?