A surprising piece of news has just recently popped up online: Nicolas Cage is reportedly in early talks to play the villain in the upcoming adaptation of The Green Hornet. He joins the previously rumored Cameron Diaz, who’s potential role in the film has been revealed as a “reporter and love interest” for the titular masked hero.
Variety is reporting that Cage is in early talks to be what is being described as the “gangster villain,” nemesis of our hero, The Green Hornet. There’s no more details on his character other than that I’m afraid, but if the talks get closer to a closed deal, you can be sure that more details will emerge.
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This news comes to us not long after Stephen Chow sadly dropped out of the project as The Green Hornet’s sidekick, Kato. With Seth Rogen co-writing the film with his Superbad writing pal Evan Goldberg, and quirky, off-beat director Michel Gondry, at the helm, it seems like we’re going to get a very strange unique version of The Green Hornet, indeed. Most people were hoping for a straight-up bad-ass version of the character, but considering the team behind, it’s looking like action plus comedy will be what we get.
It’s not a surprise that Columbia Pictures is going after big names to star in The Green Hornet, simply because to the wider, more general movie going audience (read: outside of the geek circles) the character is not that well known. Diaz makes sense if they’re going to go the action-comedy route with a love interest in the mix (she’ll probably turn the “cutesy” dial up to eleven), but does Cage make sense at all?
I actually don’t think Cage is a terrible actor, just one that makes some horrendous role choices (The Wicker Man, anyone?). But those of you who have seen Wild At Heart, Leaving Las Vegas and Adaptation know he can act when he picks the right role.
Nicolas Cage was brilliant as Charlie Kaufman in 'Adaptation'
However, I’m not sure The Green Hornet villain will be the right role for him. Something about the potential casting just feels… wrong. I must fold and say I’m really getting worried about this project now (I know a lot of you are already ahead of me on that one) – the director is about the only thing that has kept me clinging onto hopes that it will be awesome. The lack of Chow as Kato, the “insert well known, attractive actress here” possible casting of Diaz, and a “WTF” possible casting of Cage has me in skeptical mode for now.
As for Seth Rogen as the titular Green Hornet, I just don’t know if it’ll work. The actor himself just recently tried to put all our worries to rest by saying the project is “alive and well.” He was pretty convincing, but taking a step back and looking at all the details surrounding this project, it’s not looking as promising as I’d hoped it would by this point.
What do you think of Nicolas Cage possibly being cast as the villain in The Green Hornet? Do you think there’s hope for this project or do the cons far outweigh the pros?
The Green Hornet is scheduled to be released on July 9th, 2010.
Source: Variety
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15 Comments
Wow….just when I thought my anticipation for this film couldn’t get any lower they announce that Cage will be in this.
God…the writing on this site makes me cringe.
@ Dave,You got an issue? Grab a tissue!
@Dave,
What’s the problem?
I have to agree with your assessment of Cage. He is very much a hit-or-miss actor… and it usually does have more to do with the film versus the actor.
I’ve been saddened by the comedic bent to “Green Hornet” for some time now. There was a short-lived comic book inspired by the Green Hornet when I was younger, and it did such a great job with the characters that to see this done in any form other than a drama really disappoints me. The closest I’ve seen a superhero comedy come to working is “The Shadow,” which only succeeded because the acting in the film was truly above par… and that wasn’t a true comedy, just incredibly campy.
Personally, I just don’t think comic book creations work well on film as comedies. Much as I love these films, you have to consider how potentially absurd the premises are to begin with. Once you start going straight for the gags, it’s really hard to take such a film seriously. Hello… “Batman and Robin” anyone?
We seem to have a Master of English Composition here.
I like Nic Cage. Sure, he’s no Deniro or Nicholas but what actor is. I liked him in The Rock, National Treasure, Face Off, and Raising Arizona. I had doubts about this film the moment Seth Rogen got the lead and when Chow left, that really did it for me.
Wow, that’s interesting. You would think that him and Ryan Reynolds were in some competition to see who can appear in the most comic book movies or something.
Consider me worried. Cage has been crap in most recent films, adopting a vacant distracted stare in an attempt to portray emotion. He really was a wicker man in The Wicker Man. And he had zero dimension in Knowing. All he does is stare into space. His odd-duck face is just getting odder by the moment, maybe he had a drastic facelift and cannot make other expressions. Whatever the reason, he is sure to ruin any movie he is in. He sold his Bavarian castle, can’t he sell his island in the Bahamas and live on that rather than inflicting another terrible performance on us?
I don’t mind Gondry, he might bring something interesting to the table.
Nic Cage does not sound like a good fit to me. I like Seth Rogen though.
This is looking more and more like an Austin Powers rip off… I can see Cage going over the top in this role.
Diaz ??? I don’t get her appeal?
Some actors are good at playing character types. For Cage, he is good at playing that eccentric or out there character because he fits just right in.
So hopefully if he is in this, and working with Gondry, he’ll be the most talked about thing in this film if it ever makes it to screen. Trust.
let’s pretend he got the tittle role….nah!! still going to suck more
….I am now more dismayed more than ever. The sacred GH now has no chance. Why does Sony put up with this crap? Why don’t they complete the “Triangle of Horror” Rogen, Cage……( and bad acting) and add Ben Stiller to the CAST!!! Bloody Hell!!!!! I have to agree with Bill, “The Shadow” is a perfect example of what GH could have been, and as a lifetime fan of the Hornet that what was alot of us were hoping for. The End is closer than I thought!
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