The Lords of War Teaser Puts Nicolas Cage Back in the Gun Business
Yuri Orlov never really retired. He just took a very long lunch.
Nicolas Cage is selling weapons again, because the first teaser for Lords of War, the sequel to the 2005 crime movie Lord of War, dropped this morning on the film's official X account, and it promises the movie "this winter only in theaters" (Lords of War).
Cage returns as Yuri Orlov, the smooth international arms dealer from the first film, while Bill Skarsgård plays his son, Anton, and Vertical is releasing the movie in theaters on January 22, 2027.
Who is Bill Skarsgård playing in Lords of War?
Skarsgård plays Anton, Yuri's son, who has taken the family business to a whole new level, and he is building a private army of mercenaries to fight in America's wars in the Middle East (Dark Horizons).
That puts father and son on opposite sides of the same dangerous business, and the two become bitter rivals over money, power and even the same women. Laura Harrier, Sylvia Hoeks and Greg Tarzan Davis round out the cast.
Is Andrew Niccol back for the sequel?
Yes. Andrew Niccol wrote and directed the original movie in 2005, and he is back in the director's chair for this one too (Screen Daily). Cage also produces, and Skarsgård is an executive producer.
Filming started in November 2025 and wrapped in early February 2026, with shoots in Belgium, Morocco and Egypt. Vertical picked up the U.S. rights in April.
What does the teaser show?
The teaser keeps things short at just 43 seconds, and it opens on a burning battlefield covered in empty shell casings, while the title cards promise that in 2027, "he's back" and "making a killing." Then we see Cage in a black suit, smoking in the middle of the fires like he owns the place. (He probably sold the place the bullets.) Quick shots of Yuri and Anton at work lead into the big title card.
My read is that this is the right move for a sequel that took 21 years to make, since the first film built a loyal cult following thanks to Cage's calm, funny narration about a very dark job. Pairing him with Skarsgård, who can play charming and scary in the same breath, gives the story a real reason to exist. A father and son fighting over the same customers sounds like a great setup for some very sharp, very dark dialogue.
As an Amazon Associate, Church of Nerds earns from qualifying purchases. Buying through the Amazon links in this post supports the site at no extra cost to you.
Are you ready to see Yuri Orlov back in business? Tell us in the comments.
