Nicolas Cage Teases The 'Unpredictability' Of The Face/Off Sequel [Update]
UPDATE: Shortly after publication, "Face/Off 2" writer Simon Barrett confirmed via Twitter that the plot Nicolas Cage alluded to in this article was in fact, the plan for the sequel. The article continues as originally published below the Tweet.
He did, it's super cool, and we're both honored he seems to like our idea. https://t.co/Mbeo6dmCHg
— Simon Barrett (@Simon_Barrett) January 7, 2023
John Woo's 1997 action flick "Face/Off" is one of the wildest, highest-concept action flicks in all of existence, and that's what makes it so great. Criminal mastermind Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) kidnaps his nemesis, a federal agent named Sean Archer (John Travolta), and switches their faces through plastic surgery. It's a totally ludicrous premise that works because of Woo's over-the-top action sensibilities and Travolta and Cage's willingness to fully commit to their gonzo roles. After all, they each had to play both roles, but with the confusing added layer of knowing they had switched faces.
In an interview with Collider promoting his upcoming western, "The Old Way," Cage updated fans on the "Face/Off" sequel in the works from "The Guest" and "Godzilla vs. Kong" director Adam Wingard, promising that it would be "unpredictable." Given just how wild the original film is, predictability seemed off the table from the start, but it's good to know that Cage has faith in the project. Wingard is great at mixing dark humor with action (just look at "The Guest"), so it's honestly hard to not be a little excited.
Double the face-swapping?
According to Nicolas Cage, early discussions for the film centered around the children of Castor Troy and Sean Archer, who grow up to face off against one another in the exact same way that their fathers had. He and John Travolta would also return for this version, which could potentially make for a ridiculous mess of face-swapping to keep up with:
"I think 'Face/Off' is a sequel that lends itself to a lot of twists and turns and unpredictability. It's almost like if you factor in the idea of offspring and Castor and Sean having children and these children grow up, then it becomes like three-dimensional chess, and then it's not just the two, John Travolta and myself, it's four of us ping-ponging and going at different levels, and it becomes even more complex. I think there's a lot of fertile ground there. I had maybe one meeting in an office, but I haven't heard anything since, so I don't know."
Castor Troy had a son in the original "Face/Off," and that son was adopted by Archer and his wife (Joan Allen) because of a promise Archer made to the kid's mom (Gina Gershon), so there's an extra layer of drama there, too. If Castor Troy is somehow alive, despite looking very dead at the end of "Face/Off," he might be pretty furious that his enemy raised his son. Archer's own son was killed by Troy, but he does have a daughter in the first film who could maybe face off against her adopted sibling. It's not exactly clear who's switching faces here, either, which means the kids and dads could get switched in a "Freaky Friday" meets "Face/Off" nightmare.
We heard you like Face/Off so we put some Face/Off in your Face/Off 2
"Face/Off" isn't just one of the most ridiculously fun action movies of the 1990s, it's one of the most fun action flicks of all time. With Adam Wingard's action-comedy skills and a plot this potentially bonkers, "Face/Off 2" sounds like cinematic heaven. Whether Cage and Travolta switch faces again, their kids switch faces, or some combination of both, it's guaranteed to be a blast. Cage seems like he would pretty much always be game to revisit the franchise, so it would just be a matter of getting Travolta onboard, but a person can hope.
Honestly, even though Wingard's writing partner Simon Barrett confirmed that the film will be a "direct sequel" to the 1997 film, there's potential to make a soft reboot within the sequel using the kids. (Especially if Cage and Travolta switch faces with the kids, allowing them to carry on the movie madness into additional sequels.) There are franchises for just about everything these days, so why not "Face/Off"? It's a total blast with lots of weird possibilities, and nostalgia is king, so let's go! I'm ready for the "Face/Off" Extended Universe!