Simon West Would Make ‘Con Air 2’ if Nicolas Cage Says ‘Yes’

1997’s Con Air had everything we love in an action movie. Explosions, over-the-top fights, unforgettable one-liners, and Nicolas Cage giving a performance for the ages. The film, directed by Simon West, became a classic summer blockbuster, and after all these years, it still holds up.
Some of the cast and crew moved on to different projects, but Con Air remains a career-defining moment for many involved. That includes West, who has played with the idea of making a sequel more than once. Now, there’s one major reason why he’d seriously consider coming back.
West has built a solid career directing action films. He brought us Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, When a Stranger Calls, and Wild Card, proving he knows how to keep audiences entertained. His latest project, Old Guy, is another action-packed film starring two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz and Cooper Hoffman as unlikely contract killers.
The film recently premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where West sat down for an interview. The conversation naturally led to his past work, and of course, Con Air 2 came up.
West made it clear: if Nicolas Cage wants to return as Cameron Poe, he’s in. ‘Definitely. I would always do anything with Nic Cage. I am a huge fan of Nic Cage,’ he said. ‘I have a great affection for Con Air, and I think he does, too. We’ve talked about it before, and I think if it’s done right, and we have a great script and we get as many people back as possible, I think it would be fun.’
A few years ago, West shared a wild idea for the sequel. He imagined Con Air 2 taking place in space or featuring super convicts. Now, he’s keeping his options open. ‘Yeah. I mean, that was just one idea,’ he explained.
‘I think it could be underwater, it could be in space, it could be in a parallel universe. It could be all sorts of things. As long as it’s fun and entertaining like the first one, then I don’t think people would mind where it was.’
Cage has been on a sequel streak lately. He’s set to return for Face/Off 2 and Lord of War 2, so adding Con Air 2 to that list isn’t impossible. But getting a sequel off the ground would take more than just a great idea.
There are hurdles to clear, from getting the cast back together to securing a strong script. Still, with West’s enthusiasm and Cage’s willingness to take on bold roles, there’s always hope. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting to see if this actually happens.
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