There was a time Nic Cage was Hollywood’s sweetheart. Considered an actor who reinvented and revolutionized the discipline of overacting, Nic Cage almost played iconic roles in various Marvel & DC superhero movies.
The joke may be that he says yes to literally any role offered. But even Nic Cage is picky at times and he will turn down a role if he deems there are creative differences.
Green Goblin – Sam Raimi Almost Chose Nic Cage Over Willem Dafoe
Before the role went to Willem Dafoe who immortalized the supervillain Green Goblin, Sam Raimi had a different actor in mind. His original choice for the role was none other than Nicolas Cage. He turned it down for unknown reasons but we were all thankful for it. Willem Dafoe was born to play the role of Norman Osborn. Could Nic Cage have done a better job?
The dude excels at playing unhinged, psychotic characters. His trademark batsh)t crazy acting chops would have really done a number on the viewers. But we are of the opinion that he could have overdone the job a bit. Dafoe was interestingly the ‘safer bet’ of the two actors. While both give out the vibe of a sociopath, Dafoe’s vibe pales in comparison to Cage’s.
Scarecrow – Joel Schumacher Wanted Nic Cage As Jonathan Crane In ‘Batman Unchained’
When Batman & Robin was just about to hit the theaters in 1997, Warner Brothers already had plans to make a sequel. Batman Unchained would have seen most of the cast from Batman & Robin return along with a whole new villain. Nic Cage was supposed to play Jonathan Crane aka the Scarecrow.
After Batman & Robin bombed, the sequel plans were shut down. We wonder how Nic Cage would have added to the legacy of Scarecrow though. Cillian Murphy played the villain in 2005’s Batman Begins. Had Nic played the role, we could have seen a more creepy and sinister Scarecrow than Murphy’s.
Constantine – The Original Choice Was Nic Cage, Not Keanu Reeves
When 2005 gave us Keanu Reeves as Constantine, the world was not ready for such a cult classic. Although it bombed then, it is considered one of the most underrated comic book movies ever. But did you know the role almost went to Nic Cage.
In the movie’s earlier iteration, the studio had roped in Tarsem Singh, director of classics like The Fall, to direct Constantine. And his choice was Nic Cage. After Tarsem Singh left because of creative differences, Nic Cage quit the project too. Francis Lawrence took over and gave us the movie we know and love today.
Benjamin Chudnofsky – Seth Rogen Thought Nic Cage’s Portrayal Would Be Insensitive
The movie Green Hornet came back in 2011. And it was mostly a non-memorable flick. Christoph Waltz‘s Chudnofsky was the highlight of the movie more than Seth Rogen. He promptly keeps switching from being a serious threat to serious comic relief in many iconic scenes. But if fate would have had its way, it would have been Nic Cage playing the crime lord.
Rogen claims the studio’s initial choice for the role was Nic Cage. The Ghost Rider actor wanted to play Benjamin Chudnofsky as a White Bahamian or Jamaican. While white minorities do exist in Bahamian and Jamaican territories, Rogen thought the portrayal would be super insensitive. Cage was adamant and so turned the roel down.
Superman – Tim Burton Wanted Nic Cage For Superman Lives
Fresh off his success from Batman, Tim Burton tried his hands on making a Superman movie titled Superman Lives. And he chose none other than Nic Cage for the titular role. Since Cage was all the rage back in the ’90s, it made sense for Burton to consider the actor for Superman.
It would have been a weird movie, to say the least. Brainiac fights polar bears and there’s a fight scene involving a giant spider. We are still intrigued as to how psychotically Nic Cage would have played the role of the Big Blue Boy Scout.
