The rumor that Nicolas Cage is attached as a cast member to The Expendables 3 began to circle the 'Net mere days before Expendables 2 opened in theaters (Cage was previously rumored to appear in that film). Since then, the master at losing his (ahem) composure onscreen - whose action hero credentials include his roles in beloved '90s action flicks The RockCon Air and Face/Off - keeps being mentioned in the ongoing conversation, but has never been confirmed to appear in the next Expendables flick.

Cage is performing promotion duties right now for the upcoming star-vehicle The Frozen Ground, which is a little-publicized thriller based on the real-life case of Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen. He took a moment to clear up the Expendables 3 situation, with respect to what's true and what's false regarding his involvement.

Here's what Cage had to offer Den of Geek:

"I have not had any formal discussions about ['Expendables 3']. I'm not in Kick-Ass 2 and I don't think I'm in Expendables 3. And I like those guys [Sylvester Stallone, etc.], but I would say it would be highly unlikely that I'd be in that movie."

We've known for some time that - barring a "surprise" appearance - Cage would not reprise as Big Daddy in Kick-Ass 2 via dream sequence or flashback (according to his Kick-Ass costar Chloë Grace Moretz). However, the actor's comment about not having even begun any sort of proper talks for Expendables 3 contradicts what Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer was reported to have said over a month ago.

The Expendables 3 Get a Release Date

So, was Cage being dishonest in this latest interview, was the head of Lionsgate embellishing the Expendables 3 casting process too much - or, might it be that formal negotiations (i.e. not casual talks) have, in fact, never taken place between Cage and the studio? Honestly, it could be any one of the three possibilities, but it won't be long before we know for certain (seeing how filming on Expendables 3 will begin by the end of August/start of September 2013, in order to make a Summer 2014 release date target).

That said: it would be fun to watch Cage ham it up in Expendables 3, especially if he were to play some deranged mercenary - who our seasoned gut-tottin' heroes encounter - or a minion of the villain, who is heavily-rumored to be played by the original Mad Max himself, Mel Gibson.

What do you think? Were you hoping to see crazy Cage join Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham and their fellow hyper-macho men in The Expendables 3?

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The Expendables 3 opens in U.S. theaters on August 15th, 2014.

Source: Den of Geek