Nicolas Cage Speaks On His Greatest Unmade Sci-Fi Blockbuster

At this year’s Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Nicolas Cage discussed many things. He talked about his relationship with Francis Ford Coppola (he’s his nephew), the different movies that set his career up for success (including Leaving Las Vegas, for which he won an Oscar), and the Superman movie he almost made with Tim Burton. Now that we know about it, we wish this film had actually happened.

At the time, Burton was already known for his oxymoronic blended aesthetic of pastel-colored American Suburbia and dark, Gothic German Expressionism. Before pitching a Superman reboot with Nicolas Cage, Burton was becoming one of the most famous auteurs in Hollywood with hit films like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton’s Batman was a smashing success, bringing Warner Bros. $411.6 million in box office sales combating a $48 million budget. According to Nicolas Cage, the Superman pitch came nearly a decade later when Burton was hot off the heels of Mars Attacks! While the black comic science fiction film didn’t have as much success as Batman had, it wasn’t a total loss for the studio, and based on the rest of Burton’s track record, a Superman movie should have been a sure-fire hit.

According to Nicolas Cage, the script for the film was “brilliant.” The Moonstruck actor explained how the studio wanted Renny Harlin to direct it, but “I knew if you’re gonna play that part, you have to hit the bull’s eye.” The film made it part way into production, but eventually, the studio got cold feet and shut it down. 

Nicolas Cage explained that he thought the studio was scared they wouldn’t be able to make back the budget of the film, so the feature never happened.

Also at the Red Sea Film Festival, Nicolas Cage reassured fans that he won’t be turning away from the big screen entirely. This came after the news that the National Treasure actor would be retiring from Hollywood to find more of a balance in his home life. Instead, he hinted at a shift in focus towards television and a stricter filter when it comes to choosing feature films.

“I’m just saying that my selection process is gonna be very severe,” Nicolas Cage stated. “And, look, I have a 15-month-old daughter at home. I wanna be home for her. So television makes sense on a family level, tooThe Red Sea Film Festival, an annual event celebrating diverse cinematic experiences, is set to continue until December 9. As Nicolas Cage shares insights into his career highs and the exciting projects on the horizon, fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in the actor’s storied career.