Nicolas Cage Could Play A Huge Marvel Hero In His Own Series (Report)
Fan-favorite actor Nicolas Cage might take one of his most iconic animated portrayals to the small screen. A report from The Ankler suggests he's in conversations to take on the role of Spider-Man Noir in Amazon's adaptation of the hero's story.
The character first appeared in "Spider-Man: Noir" #1 (created by David Hine, Fabrice Sapolsky, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Marko Djurdjevic) in 2008 as the gun-wielding noir-version of the webslinger from an alternate universe who exists during the Great Depression. Cage lent his voice to Noir in the "Spider-Verse" animated films, and according to The Ankler's Elaine Low, he might be playing a live-action version of the character as well. "Also in the works is Spider-Man Noir, where I'm told Nicolas Cage is in serious talks to take on the lead role on the series, which will be set in 1930s New York City," she wrote.
Considering Cage is the voice of Spider-Man Noir for an entire generation of Marvel fans, casting him in the series of the same name would be fun to see. This is regardless of whether it's just a voice part with someone else donning the suit, similar to Pedro Pascal's arrangement in "The Mandalorian," or if he takes on a more substantive dual role and appears unmasked.
Nicolas Cage loves comic books
Nicolas Cage has long been a massive comic book fan with a history tied to both Marvel and DC Comics. He was set to play the Man of Steel in Tim Burton's infamously canceled film, "Superman Lives." The actor suited up for the role, though the project was shelved before filming even started. Cage's Superman and the robotic spider he would have faced off against during the movie made a surprise cameo in "The Flash," in a view across the Multiverse. He also voiced Superman in "Teen Titans Go! To The Movies."
On top of his ties to Superman, Cage is an avid comic book collector who once owned a copy of "Action Comics" #1 — which marked the hero's first appearance — before selling it for over $2 million to pay for bankruptcy debt.
In the Marvel Universe, Cage played Johnny Blaze aka Ghost Rider in "Ghost Rider" and "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." His version of the hero is fondly remembered by fans despite the films getting largely negative reviews, as his over-the-top style worked well in live-action. There are even rumors Cage will reprise Ghost Rider in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Marvel Studios has yet to announce anything official. Given his career renaissance with his critically acclaimed performances in "Mandy," "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," and "Dream Scenario," Cage would be quite a catch for Sony and Amazon Studios if he indeed ends up playing Spider-Man Noir in live-action.
Sony's live-action Spider-Verse continues to take shape
Spider-Man Noir isn't the only Spider-Verse hero who has a show in development with Sony and Amazon. The previously announced Cindy Moon-starring "Silk" series produced by "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, which features the Korean-American web-slinger bitten by the same spider as Peter Parker, is reportedly receiving a major creative overhaul. The Ankler wrote that "Silk" was allegedly getting reworked for a largely male viewership, though Amazon did not comment on the supposed creative changes, which include a new writers' room alongside showrunner Angela Kang.
Sony appears driven to bring some of the most recognizable Spider-Verse characters into a shared live-action universe, even without the web-slinger himself joining. Given its string of live-action movie flops, including "Morbius" and "Madame Web," Sony could really use a win for its upcoming Spider-Man-related universe with Amazon Studios. If Nicolas Cage signs on to play "Spider-Man: Noir," that could be a heck of a boost for a world that has faced creative challenges since originally being announced. Hopefully, the potential "Silk" show will also find its footing; like Spider-Man Noir, it has tons of great comic book stories and the potential to shine in a new universe.