Stop calling Face/Off 2 a reboot or remake, as director Adam Wingard insists that the sequel is going to be the “definitive follow-up” to the original. This month, it was reported that Wingard would be directing a new Face/Off movie using a screenplay co-written with Simon Barrett for Paramount Pictures. Neal Moritz will produce the movie with David Permut executive producing.
When the news first broke, many had taken the announcement to mean that Wingard would reimagine Face/Off as a reboot of the original movie. At the time, Adam Wingard clarified on Instagram that he would never remake Face/Off, stating that he was “writing a direct SEQUEL” with Barrett. Speaking with IGN at Fan Fest 2021, the Godzilla vs. Kong director doubled down on these comments, making it very clear that Face/Off 2 will pick up where the first movie left off.
“I would never make a remake of Face/Off. I would never make a reboot. And I’ve seen a lot of people, even after I said that this is a direct sequel, they keep calling it a reboot hybrid sequel or remake hybrid sequel. It’s none of that. This is Face/Off 2. And I can’t say what that means exactly, but this is either going to be the definitive follow-up to that movie and everything that entails, or I’m not going to make it, because everything’s got to line up perfectly.”
While continuing to stress that Face/Off 2 is a sequel and not a reboot or remake, Wingard also revealed that the screenplay is nearly complete.
“The script’s going really good, Simon [Barrett] and I are almost finished. And Simon, who I worked with on You’re Next and The Guest, we’ve been working a lot over quarantine, and this was our main project. Face/Off 2. That’s what it is It is Face/Off 2, and I’ll just leave it at that.”
You might have noticed that Wingard is deliberately stopping short of divulging any specific details, such as whether original star John Travolta might return as Sean Archer. As Nicolas Cage’s character died in the original movie, he seems less likely to come back, though it’s possible that Cage could still return as a new character who’s had Castor Troy’s face printed over his own. The possibilities are endless, but in any case, it would seem that whatever happens will tie directly into the events of the first Face/Off.
The original Face/Off was written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary and directed by John Woo. It follows an FBI agent and a terrorist who assume each other’s identities. Despite its bizarre premise, the movie works very well, earning widespread acclaim and even an Academy Award nomination. Hoping to recapture some of that success, Paramount has been looking to make a new Face/Off movie for years, and it now finally appears to be making some real traction with Wingard on board.
A release date hasn’t yet been set for Face/Off 2. This news comes to us from IGN.