A sequel to cult-classic Face/Off is in the works and said to be directed by Adam Wingard, as well as co-written with Simon Barrett (The Guest (2014)). Deadline reports that Wingard’s project will be a direct sequel to the 1997 action-thriller after some discrepancy arose over whether or not it will be a remake. Wingard, director of Godzilla Vs. Kong, took to Instagram to clarify, stating “I would NEVER re-imagine or remake FACE/OFF. It’s a perfect action movie. Simon Barrett and I are writing a direct SEQUEL!” Although a sequel to Face/Off, it will feature a new cast of actors. Neal Moritz is onboard as producer with David Permut (producer on the ’97 original) as executive producer.

Face/Off, directed by John Woo and written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary, became a box-office hit with almost $250 million in global ticket sales in 1997. The film’s premise pinned two of Hollywood’s most sought-after stars, John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, against each other as an FBI agent and deranged murderer, respectively. The story, albeit a far-fetched one, begins when FBI’s Sean Archer (Travolta) undergoes facial transplant surgery to assume the appearance of murderer Castor Troy (Cage), and sneaks into a prison to de-rail Troy’s terrorist attack before it’s too late. To Archer’s horror and surprise, Troy has found out his plan and undergone the same surgery, replicating Archer’s face and intent on stealing his identity for good. The film involves pulse-raising action sequences as the men engage in a mortal struggle.

It was rumored last fall that Oren Uziel (screenwriter on 22 Jump Street (2014)) was set to direct a remake of Face/Off for Paramount, but fans seem to be much more content with a sequel to the cult favorite instead. Little else is known about Wingard’s sequel or how it should continue the original story. Possibly, “the sequel” is an area of expertise for Wingard, as Godzilla Vs. Kong is a follows Michael Dougherty‘s Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). Young actor Millie Bobby Brown will also reprise her 2019 role in Godzilla Vs. Kong, which comes out in theaters and on HBO Max March 31, 2021.