Thrilling news for DC fans, Nicolas Cage fans and Superman fans: 59-year-old Cage is set to play Superman in the highly-anticipated superhero movie, The Flash, which is going to be released next month.
In an interview with Empire Middle East, The Flash’s director Andy Muschietti confirmed Cage’s upcoming role. “Nic was absolutely wonderful. Although the role was a cameo, he dove into it,” he said. “I dreamt all my life to work with him. I hope I can work with him again soon.”
“He is a massive Superman fan. A comic book fanatic,” he added. Cage is indeed a longtime Superman fan. Most notably, this manifested in him naming his son Kal-El, which is Superman’s Kryptonite name. According to Esquire, Cage once owned a nearly-pristine copy of Action Comics #1, the comic where Superman made his first appearance.
The copy was stolen from Cage’s home in 2000, but then, in a twist that seems in keeping with Cage’s careering life, it was mysteriously found in a South California locker in 2011. Cage sold it that same year for over $2 million.
Cage was originally supposed to play Superman 25 years ago in a film titled Superman Lives, which had Tim Burton attached as directer. Sadly for Cage fans – and for “the culture” for that matter – this iconic collaboration was never realised. But now, the Californian-born actor will get his time in the sun.
The Flash has had a difficult road to fruition: this iteration of the film (different versions of it have been in the works since the late Eighties) changed hands between several directors, actors came and went, and then the pandemic hit. Then last year its lead star Ezra Miller faced a number of allegations and arrests, which further stalled the films’ release.
The Flash will tell the story of what happens when Barry Allen / The Flash (Ezra Miller) goes back in time to try and save the life of his mother. But messing with time is a dangerous business, and The Flash finds himself trapped in a multiverse. There, he’ll work alongside a younger version of himself and a gang of superheroes (we’re assuming this is where Cage will crop up) including Supergirl (Sasha Calle) to battle against malevolent Kryptonian general, General Zod (Michael Shannon).
Most recently Cage has starred in comedy-drama film Renfield, where he played Count Dracula.
The Flash will be released in the UK on June 16
