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Boasting highly entertaining performances from stars Nicolas Cage and John Travolta, plus director John Woo’s distinct sense of style, Face/Off is considered one of the standout action movies of the 1990s. In the decades since it premiered, Face/Off has earned itself a passionate following, leading to a sequel getting off the ground. That project has been in the works for quite some time, but in the handful of years since word first broke, there unfortunately has been very little progress made on the follow-up. Sadly, it looks like Face/Off fans are going to have to wait even longer to see the sequel, which has been hit with a terrible setback.
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According to Collider, Adam Wingard “is no longer set to direct” Face/Off 2. The filmmaker had been attached to the project since 2021. Paramount does not have a replacement immediately lined up. It’s said that the studio will now be conducting a search for a new director. The process will “[allow] filmmakers to pitch their own take, develop the project, and potentially shepherd it into production.”
Will Face/Off 2 Still Happen Following Adam Wingard’s Departure?
As disappointing as it is to hear Wingard has stepped down from Face/Off 2, it arguably isn’t the most shocking turn of events. Progress on the sequel was very slow; back in 2024, Wingard shared how development on the script had been impacted by the writers strike. At the time, he and his writing partner Simon Barrett were waiting on a draft from another writer so they could take a look and incorporate any necessary revisions. But then, Wingard went off to helm the upcoming action thriller Onslaught (currently in post-production according to his IMDb page), which likely pushed Face/Off further on the back burner.
Paramount announced a new Face/Off movie back in 2019, so to start over from square one seven years later likely wasn’t part of the plan. It’s unknown whatever happened to that screenplay Wingard was waiting on, but it sounds like Paramount is wiping the slate clean. Instead of boxing a new director in with a specific version of Face/Off 2, the studio is giving filmmakers the leeway to formulate their own pitch. This should be beneficial from an artistic perspective, as the director will have a change to make the movie they want to make. However, this likely means Face/Off 2 is still years away from hitting theaters. Paramount needs to hear pitches, approve one, and commission a script (which will need to be finalized) before cameras can roll.
Under new leadership following the Skydance merger, Paramount is placing an emphasis on established brands to boost its film slate. There’s a reason why Star Trek is a priority for the studio, and Top Gun 3 remains in development. With that strategy in mind, it’s easy to see why Paramount is interested in Face/Off 2. The original was a well-received box office hit, and legacy sequels continue to be popular in Hollywood. That said, it’s worth wondering if Paramount has missed the boat here. Face/Off came out nearly 30 years ago, and Travolta and Cage aren’t getting any younger. The dynamic between the two actors was a huge part of the original’s appeal, so the follow-up wouldn’t be nearly as effective if they weren’t involved.
It’s true that action stars Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves have proven that age is just a number, but everyone is different, and there will inevitably come a time when Travolta (age 72) and Cage (age 62) aren’t able to completely handle the physical demands of action-heavy roles. Plus, the story of Face/Off 2 has proven to be a difficult nut to crack. The original tells a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end, so even Face/Off stars believe a sequel isn’t necessary. If figuring out the narrative continues to be a major problem, Paramount might be better off just leaving Face/Off as a standalone instead of trying to force something.
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