There are plenty of actors out there who would jump at the chance of being in a big-budget superhero movie for Marvel Studios, but Nicolas Cage doesn’t seem to be one of them. Speaking to Variety during the Miami Film Festival, where he was awarded the publication’s Legends & Groundbreakers Award, the 59-year-old star of The Rock and Face/Off talked a bit about Marvel movies, explaining that he’s aware of how popular they are but that he doesn’t need to be in any for one specific and evidently vital reason: “I’m Nic Cage.” That said, Cage mentioned that he needed to be nice about Marvel, since he named himself after one of the company’s characters. Cage previously starred as the Johnny Blaze version of Ghost Rider, one of Marvel’s most popular superheroes who can be identified by his flaming skull.
From a Variety report:
“I’ve gotta be nice about Marvel movies, because I named myself after a Stan Lee character named Luke Cage. What am I going to do, put Marvel movies down? Stan Lee is my surrealistic father. He named me,” he said when asked about the state of superhero movies today. “I understand what the frustration is. I get it. But I think there’s plenty of room for everybody. I’m seeing movies like ‘Tár.’ I’m seeing all kinds of artistic and independently driven movies. I think there’s plenty of room for everybody.”
So, would he want to be in the MCU? His response is easy: “I don’t need to be in the MCU, I’m Nic Cage.”
In the ’90s, he was set to enter the comic book world even more, taking on the titular role in Tim Burton’s “Superman Lives.” However, that never came to light. To this day, he says, he’s not 100% sure why.
“They wanted Renny Harlin to do the movie. I sat down with Renny. I was doing another picture, he came to the trailer and we talked. I liked Renny… but I thought if I’m going to do this, it’s such a bullseye to hit,” Cage explained. “I said, this has to be Tim Burton. I called Tim and said, ‘Would you do this?’ Tim didn’t cast me, I cast Tim, and Tim said yes. I loved what he did with Michael [Keaton] and Batman, and I was a big fan.”
Discussion (11 replies)
Join Discussion →Yup. And it sucked.
Sounds like he's baiting them in to come get him, but honestly I hope that doesn't happen.
I never did see that movie. Everyone says the same thing you said, so it feels like I'm not missing anything at all.
He would fit better in a movie with Deadpool. Honestly.... Thinking about that and what Ryan Reynolds would be prone to do... Wow. In my head that feels very awesome for no clearly articulated reason.
That's about the only movie he'd fit into.
The 2nd one Turbo Sucked
I liked it. It is way better than anything in mcu phase 3 or 4.
His first Ghost Rider movie had plenty of problems but it's decent enough; at least for someone who knows nothing about comics. I think two of the big problems were Eva Mendes' character and not doing enough with Sam Elliot. Eva Mendes was some nice eye candy but the character was a waste of time and added nothing useful while Sam Elliot's character was seriously underused. It was also a mistake to make the movie targeted at a younger audience which killed a lot of what they could have done.
Yea a version of ghost rider told as more of a horror than super hero.
I could see a child fearful of a kidnapper/abuser. One that has killed before. You see them hiding in the corner as ghostrider in green flame steps out of a wall and the kid looks at him fearfully. "You're fine kid I'm not here for you... But HIM" as the kidnapper walks in. (Gritty action scene with blood splatter even getting on the pajamas of the kid.).
Theres Kickass also. Ghost Rider was okay to me.
He was a great actor in the movie where he doesn't talk... Trapped in a version of Chucky cheese.