Nearly three decades after Face/Off redefined action cinema, John Woo and Nicolas Cage are teaming up again for Gambino, a new crime biopic about notorious New York mob boss Carlo Gambino. The film — written by George Gallo (Bad Boys) and Nick Vallelonga (Green Book) — will see Cage step into the role of the quiet but ruthless mafia patriarch, with Woo once again behind the camera.

The project has been in development for years but was recently retooled with Woo, Cage, and a new producing team led by Cassian Elwes (Mudbound, The Butler), Edward Zeng of NextG Films, and Robert Daly Jr. and David Lipper of Latigo Films (Not Without Hope). NextG Films is financing the movie, with Cage, Gallo, and Vallelonga also serving as producers. Zeng, who last year launched a $100 million film investment fund with Elwes, said the project represents the partnership’s larger vision:

“At NextG Film, our vision is to unite the finest creative talents of Hollywood with the bold entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley. Together, we aim to deliver an epic cinematic experience that brings audiences back to the theater again and again — an experience that not only entertains, but inspires people to reflect on the world we live in today.”

In a fun coincidence, Cage’s Face/Off co-star John Travolta once portrayed another mob boss — John Gotti — in 2018’s Gotti.

Is Face/Off 2 Still Happening?

While Woo and Cage’s reunion will thrill action fans, it also reignites curiosity about the long-discussed Face/Off sequel. In 2023, Collider’s Steve Weintraub caught up with Cage, who confirmed he’d had early talks about the project with Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard. The actor hinted at a “three-dimensional chess” sequel concept involving the offspring of Castor Troy (Cage) and Sean Archer (Travolta).

“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… it becomes even more complex. [Adam]’s great, and I think we share similar tastes. I liked everything he did with Godzilla vs. Kong and I think that he’s smart. He has respect for cinema and various kinds of iconography. I think it would be great.”

via Collider