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Nicolas Cage to Play the 'Gangster Villain' in Green Hornet?

by Alex Billington
July 20, 2009

Whoa, I don't think anyone saw this coming? Variety reports that Nicolas Cage is in early talks to play the "gangster villain" in Seth Rogen's The Green Hornet being directed by Michel Gondry. Cage will star alongside of Rogen and Cameron Diaz, who was announced a few weeks ago, though the role of Kato is still open. They also say, as we reported earlier today, that "the picture is moving full steam ahead for a fall start date." Cage last starred in Knowing and recently finished The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Bad Lieutenant, Season of the Witch, and Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass. I definitely think this is going upset a few people.

Okay, so I've defending Green Hornet all along, and I think it'll still be good, but this makes me a bit weary. I started losing faith when they cast Cameron Diaz and now with Nic Cage, I'm just not sure anymore. Maybe, just maybe, Gondry could help save his career. I'll argue that Alex Proyas' Knowing helped get him on the right track, but it didn't take him too far. I imagine he's going to be a goofy villain, hopefully not too much like Samuel L. Jackson in The Spirit, but maybe this will be a role that shows he's not that bad. Who knows? Either that or this is the first sign of a potential disaster in the making. So what do you think?

Explore tags: Casting, Movie News

Quanah

Why does this guy keep getting work in action films?
Quanah

Alex, I think your statement that "Gondry could help save his career" is a bit off. Cage's career isn't off as far as getting work. On that note, he's like many actors: Just trying to get a paycheck. If you're talking about doing quality films, then I don't think Cage has done more then just a few that are far between, and no...I'm not talking about "Leaving Las Vegas".
cat

another nic cage action flick? sweet! no not really.
Xerxex

Alex as a fellow defender of The Green Hornet this has shaken me a bit, I love Nic Cage his performances in Leaving Las Vegas and Bringing out The Dead were great albiet they are now both old films, but he really hasn't showed any improvement mius his performance in Lord of War. but I'm still holding strong for the endgame of The Green Hornet!
http://www.none.com miguel

This project went up up up and has gone down down. Guess we'll just have to wait and see footage before saying anything else.
H.I.N.C

I like Nic Cage because of Leaving Las Vegas, Face Off, and Adaptation.. He's still a good actor he just needs another agent
Tom

Give me a fuckin break. This sucks.
Sean

*rolls eyes*
http://www.bleepinggeek.com Pete the Geek

Well, that clinches it: not going to see this one in theaters (if ever). When will people figure out that Nic Cage can't friggin' act? One or two hits over a twenty bad movie span should speak for itself here. Sorry, Seth Rogan. I really wanted to be excited, I really did. First Chow, then this? Watch the rats go, man. If you're smart you'll flee the sinking ship too.
Blue Silver

As much as I like Cage, I just don't see the logic in this. This film is losing my attention with every passing day. Nic Cage should focus on the "Ghost Rider" reboot/sequel. Like I said before, Rogen is not superhero material...especially a good one like "The Green Hornet". As for Diaz, wow, just not for this! Anyways................
Caleb

i dont like all this cage hating...
Sabes

Noooo, not Cage. >.<!
Butto

Everything Nick touches turns to gold.
Audrey

I hope this isn't true, because I like Nic Cage and Green Hornet has always sounded like a terrible idea. Who is the audience for this film supposed to be? 60 year olds who remember the tv show? This has FAIL written all over it and Cage's career can't withstand many more of these schlock movie bombs. Time for National Treasure 3.
Cameron Poe

Judging by that photo of Nicolas Cage up there, I guess he's still trying to hitch that ride home!
Nadir Ahmed

come on man.....i think your being too hard on Nicolas Cage and Cameron Diaz....these are A star actors, i think it they will raise the quality of the film and a actually looking forward to this( im also looking forward to Kick-Ass by Matthew Vaughn, that looks really good). Them above with Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry...its a great match
loci

cage is the human equivalent of scooby doo. "Everything Nick touches turns to gold." yeah, comedy gold!
Clover

Now it's official.....this is dead to me....TWICE. The worst "actor" in the history of the Cinema....along with the most over-rated hack of all time. It is truley laughable! The End is NEAR!
sippin'seed

The end is now!
Blue Buttons

You all trash Cage and this movie now but when it comes out and it's great you all will be hopping on the fucking bandwagon.
Steve the Dude

Seth Rogen should be fired already!!! What is WRONG with Sony?? Nicolas Cage should be the Green Hornet, HE would do it RIGHT !!!
Xerxex

After much consideration I'm for Cage being the villian, I don't care what you people think, I think Rogen and Cage will be excellent.
zubzwank

Well, that's it for me. I guess it's going to be done camp. Maybe a new generation should know the joys of camping out. Neither I nor my money will be there. Another in a line of crummy movies about classic 1930s radio/comic strip/pulp characters: Shadow, Phantom, Green Hornet, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers. Hey, Doc Savage is also still available to trash! (I'm not counting '75 flick) How about Blue Beetle?
Quaked2023

Ok so far this movie has SUCK written all over it! But still I'm waiting for the first teaser to make my final verdict... Why is Rogen writing this again??? Please tell me he is not going to be Green Hornet Jet Li as Kato
th3thirdman

I was looking forward to this movie. Seth Rogen seemed to have alot of love for this project. Nicolas Cage should be raped in the ass and shot. I hope this is a lie.
Xerxex

where have you been quaked2023 Rogen is playing the Hornet, and I'm proud of the fact that I want Rogen to play him, the guy lost all of his weight for it!
Squiggly

Since when does having big hits have anything to do with acting? It doesn't. At all. The biggest hits are shit like Transformers 2. I think Cage works better in comedy, but the guy is more broad that people give him credit for. People make fun of his hair and his voice, but really...what else is there that is negative about him? He can act. He plays a variety of roles. He rarely does action movies at all. I dunno where people are getting off with that one. What action movies has he been in? Bangcock Dangerous. Ghost Rider. Con Air. The Rock. Maybe the National Treasure movies, tho those aren't really 'action'. Can't think of much else off the top of my head. The Rock was pretty good, Con Air was watchable. For every one of those there's two or three solid dramas or comedies. I don't know if anyone here has actually seen the Green Hornet show, but it wasn't exactly Shakespearean work. It was campy and goofy even for that era. It's an action comedy. Rogen wrote Pineapple Express which seems to have impressed a number of people. I don't get all the negativity. Cage is far from the worst actor in cinema history. That's not just an exaggeration, it's almost 180 degrees from the truth. Anyone who thinks that has to be either a kid, brain damaged or not seen many movies. And I don't understand why - Alex - you are so ignorant to the way movies are made considering you've been on set to films in production. How, exactly, would Proya's "Knowing" help get Cage back "on the right track"? How would it have any bearing at all on this flick or on Cage's future acting potential? It doesn't. It might have an impact on how the studios see him as far as bankability. I still can't seem to identify the moment when Cage went from 'decent' to 'box office poison'. Wicker Man? World Trade Center? Prior to those, he was in nothing but fairly solid movies, with a few exceptions. People have really short memories. It's not like he's spent 20 years making shit films or something. He's had a string of recent duds, but a lot of actors go through the same sort of shit and never end up with a reputation for being "the worst actor in history".
sippin'seed

Xerexx...that means observe and report and valley girl are your to favorite movies of all time? And yes squig....WE HAVE SEEN THE HORNET!!!! The GH has been around since the 1930's, way to go, you just showed your ignorance on the subject, and as usual, buttons love boy is Cage. Bottom line: Rogen has no talent-Cage IS the worst actor of the modern era and Mr. Chow proved to everyone Rogen is the reason he left. Wake up Sony, your going to lose $$$!
CHOWCHOW

It was the 60's Squiggy. Again the TV show was not campy. It was the 60's. Try and do a little research before you spew nonsense!