Nicolas Cage is speaking out on Marvel’s behalf, even if he doesn’t really need to. The enigmatic actor was recently interviewed by GQ and took the time to voice his support for the recent upward trend of comic book adaptations. Superhero projects, and Marvel films especially, have been the subject of much debate over the last few years. Acclaimed director Martin Scorsese started a movement against the popularity of such movies in 2019 when he claimed the genre wasn’t “true cinema.” Since then, multiple other industry titans, such as Cage‘s uncle Francis Ford Coppola, have also come forward to state their opinion that the MCU is doing damage to the moviegoing experience.
Cage openly disagrees, explaining to GQ when the topic was brought up that he doesn’t think the event-style films are responsible for killing audience interest in smaller productions:
Yeah, why do they do that? I don’t understand the conflict. I don’t agree with them on that perception or opinion. I think that the movies that I make, like ‘Pig’ or ‘Joe,’ are not in any kind of conflict with Marvel movies. I mean, I don’t think the Marvel movie had anything to do with the end of the tweener. By tweener, I mean the $30 to $50 million budget movie. I think movies are in good shape. If you look at ‘Power of the Dog,’ or if you look at ‘Spencer,’ or any of Megan Ellison’s movies. I think that there’s still Paul Thomas Anderson.
Nicolas Cage
Cage is known for a variety of oddball roles throughout his career, which include comic book adaptations like the Ghost Rider films and an attempted Superman movie. He is also a known advocate for nerdy lifestyles, having lifted his stage name from Marvel character Luke Cage and naming his son, Kal-El, after the Man of Steel. In the middle of a bit of a comeback, it’s possible fans see Cage in another comic book project someday, especially with the positive things he has to say about Marvel Studios:
Marvel has done a really excellent job of entertaining the whole family. They put a lot of thought into it. I mean, it’s definitely had a big progression from when I was doing the first two ‘Ghost Rider’ movies. Kevin Feige, or whoever is behind that machine, has found a masterful way of weaving the stories together and interconnecting all the characters. What could be wrong with wholesome entertainment that is appealing to the parents and the children, and gives people something to look forward to? I just, I don’t see what the issue is.
Nicolas Cage
Cage‘s next film, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, releases on April 22nd.
Source: Variety
