# Whatever happened to Nicolas Cage? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 2, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814 "2006-11-02T02:15:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/1 "2006-11-02T02:15:52Z")
After some great early roles and two Oscar nominations (for “Leaving Las Vegas” and “Adaptation”) it seems like he’s on a downward career spiral, or has at least hit a rough patch careerwise. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/2 "2006-11-02T03:03:06Z")
His page at IMDB: > **[Nicolas Cage | Actor, Producer, Director](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000115/)** > > Known for: Face/Off, Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock **National Treasure** did pretty good at the box office ($350 mil worldwide), and that was just 2004. There’s a sequel coming out next year. So he’s ok on the commercial side. And he was in **World Trade Center** this year, which got good reviews. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/3 "2006-11-02T03:03:32Z")
Adaptation came out in 2002, and he’s been busy since. He has eight movies in production for 2007 and 2008. Personally, I could live without any of his work since he became an action star with The Rock in 1995. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/4 "2006-11-02T03:05:16Z")
Seems to pick every role thats offered to him. Needs to be a bit choosier. And no more action roles…ever. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/5 "2006-11-02T03:40:22Z")
Nic Cage is a HUGE comic book fan, and he’s tried for years to play the lead in a comic book superhero adaptation. He was originally cast as Superman when Kevin Smith and Tim Burton were attached to the movie several years ago. Now he’ll be playing Ghost Rider, aka Johnny Blaze, the demonic biker antihero from Marvel Comics, and I’m sure it was a real treat for him to make it even if the movie ends up sucking. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/6 "2006-11-02T03:50:51Z")
Cage got married in 2004 and had a son in 2005, so presumedly his personal life has distracted him some from his career. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/7 "2006-11-02T04:18:13Z")
I don’t know how good he’s been on the commercial side. Look at his page at [Box Office Mojo](http://boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?view=Actor&id=nicolascage.htm). Since **Adaptation** , his grosses have been: 9/1/06 **The Wicker Man** WB $23,540,572 8/9/06 **World Trade Center** Par. $70,278,893 7/28/06 **The Ant Bully** (Voice) WB $28,015,655 10/28/05 **The Weather Man** Par. $12,482,775 9/16/05 **Lord of War** Lions $24,149,632 11/19/04 **National Treasure** BV $173,008,894 9/12/03 **Matchstick Men** WB $36,906,460 12/27/02 **Sonny** GldC $30,005 He probably got good paychecks for most of those, but he hasn’t done much to prove that he’s worth the leading man money. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/8 "2006-11-02T13:32:10Z")
He’s going back to Las Vegas next year… [IMDB link](http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0435705/) It’s based on Philip K. Dick short story - _very_ loosly based, it appears! His character’s name is the same, though! ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/9 "2006-11-02T13:33:10Z")
Nevertheless, most of those were solid films. These days, he’s been doing more sedate movies, but not neccessarily bad ones. Some stronger, some not. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/10 "2006-11-02T14:24:20Z")
I thought he was great in Matchstick Men, and I don’t much care for him. If you want to talk downward career spiral, his, if it exists, is nothing compared to some others- Cuba Gooding, I’m looking at you. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/11 "2006-11-02T14:43:12Z")
Personally I thought he kicked ass in _WTC_. As an aside, I found that movie hard to watch, so I guess I’m still not ready to go see _United 93_. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/12 "2006-11-02T14:57:50Z")
[QUOTE=Ponder Stibbons] Personally I thought he kicked ass in _WTC_. As an aside, I found that movie hard to watch, so I guess I’m still not ready to go see _United 93_. [/QUOTE] Yes you are. You will walk out of a session of _United 93_ inspired, with your faith in your fellow man restored. And you will see that, atlhough the WTC scenes were great in _WTC_ Oliver Stone turned it into sentimental claptrap. I honestly think that anyone that is having troubles with finding an appropriate place for 9/11 in their live should see _United 93_. The only other post 9/11 thing I have seen that has similar emotional weight is [The Falling Man](http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200608/programs/ZY8432A001D31082006T212000.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/13 "2006-11-02T15:00:09Z")
Sort of off-topic but [QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] 12/27/02 **Sonny** GldC $30,005. [/QUOTE] He just had a glorified cameo in this one but IIRC directed, but anyway, how does a movie only gross $30,000? Average price of a movie ticket in 2002 was probably something like $8 which would mean that even if the film were released to just one screen it would’ve had to pull in fewer than 4,000 people. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/14 "2006-11-02T17:54:29Z")
The Lord of War was astonishing. It might have done better at the box office if it had been marketable, but it really wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/15 "2006-11-02T18:29:47Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] Yes you are. You will walk out of a session of _United 93_ inspired, with your faith in your fellow man restored. And you will see that, atlhough the WTC scenes were great in _WTC_ Oliver Stone turned it into sentimental claptrap. I honestly think that anyone that is having troubles with finding an appropriate place for 9/11 in their live should see _United 93_. The only other post 9/11 thing I have seen that has similar emotional weight is [The Falling Man](http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200608/programs/ZY8432A001D31082006T212000.htm). [/QUOTE] Actually, I’d go with your first instinct and not see United 93 yet. It is an incredibly powerful and well-made movie, but… I couldn’t talk to anyone after that movie for at least 10 minutes. I’m an easy-going guy, never been in a fight in my life, and I wanted to eviscerate (sp?) somebody. It was an incredible need at something deeper than an emotional level. It wasn’t a “blind” rage since I was able to control it, but I REALLY needed to hurt someone or something. So I’d say, hold off on United 93. J. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/16 "2006-11-02T18:53:10Z")
Didn’t they try to make _ **NICK CAGE** _ stick back in his action hero heyday? I like him better as Nicolas. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/17 "2006-11-02T19:27:20Z")
I thought he was quite good in **The Weatherman** and **Lord of War**. I hear he sucked in **The Wicker Man** , as did the remake itself, but I will still check it out just to see how bad it is. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/18 "2006-11-02T19:36:17Z")
> [@](#): > > 10/28/05 **The Weather Man** Par. $12,482,775 Huh. I liked that movie. Me and six other people, from the looks of it. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/19 "2006-12-23T02:40:46Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] I thought he was quite good in **The Weatherman** and **Lord of War**. I hear he sucked in **The Wicker Man** , as did the remake itself, but I will still check it out just to see how bad it is. [/QUOTE] Holy shit, the remake really blew. And so did Cage, sadly–unless you look at the whole thing as an unintentional comedy. Still painful, though. What on earth was he thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814/20 "2006-12-23T03:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] Holy shit, the remake really blew. And so did Cage, sadly–unless you look at the whole thing as an unintentional comedy. Still painful, though. What on earth was he thinking? [/QUOTE] “Daa da da da da da da… \*Wickerman! \* Quick, Raffia, to the Wickermobile! …Holy Pier One, Wickerman, it’s the nefarious Lord Summerisle and his dastardly minions! …Never fear, old chum; they’re no match for my Wickerangs!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-nicolas-cage/378814.md?page=2)