The story of how Nicolas Cage lost his rare comic book featuring the first appearance of Superman may finally be told. At least Hollywood’s version of it.
Lionsgate has picked up Action No. 1, a heist comedy from writers and Reno 911! creators Robert Ben Garantand Thomas Lennon. The duo also is producing along withPeter PrincipatoandPaul Young.
The story revolves around a group of nerds who attempt to steal Cage's copy of Action Comics No. 1, the landmark 1938 comic that introduced the world to the Man of Steel.
The theft of Cage’s comic made real-world headlines in 2000. The issue was missing until 2011, when it was discovered among the contents of an abandoned storage locker. It sold for a record $2.1 million at auction in November. To comic-book fans, the story of the book’s theft and its ultimate recovery is as thrilling as any tale of a stolen Monet or Degat.
The part of Cage was written with the real Cage in mind, but at this stage, it's unlikely that Cage will play himself.Jason Statham's name has surfaced in connection with the project, but sources say he is not involved. (It was not known who Statham would play; the actor already played the leader of a heist in The Bank Job but has yet to tackle the role of a comics fanboy.)
Nerds breaking into fortresses or stealing prized objects is not a new subgenre. Fanboys, the 2009 road comedy directed by Kyle Newman, featured a trio ofStar Wars superfans attempting to sneak into George Lucas’ ranch to see The Phantom Menace. Comic-Con, a spec script by Matthew Sullivan and Michael Diliberti that generated some buzz a few years ago, was about geeks executing a heist during the annual Comic-Con convention to save their favorite comic-book shop.
Cage, Statham, Lennon and Garant are repped by CAA. Lennon and Garant, whose feature credits include Night at the Museum and Balls of Fury, are additionally repped by Principato Young and Jackoway Tyerman.
-- Edited by Lady Trueheart on Friday 9th of March 2012 02:36:00 AM
I saw this, at first I was excited to read it, but then I wondered about how much better it would be if it starred Nicolas himself. I wonder if he will be involved in it's creation at all..who else can know exactly what happened?
It does make you think if they are going to fictionalise it slightly. or if it will be told from his perspective or from the point of view of some kind of heist, and Nic himself is just a minor character? I have enjoyed all of Jason Stathams' films, but I could see him being the one planning and doing the heist rather than portraying Nic!
Interesting because it will be the first time anyone has portrayed Nic on film....in my opnion if anyone was going to do it, it should be Ryan Gosling.
Nicolas Cage is a runaway Spectral Guide from the Omniverse. Only his decided wrongness of existing within This Plane can account for the oddity that surrounds his fixed point in It All. Please, Bleeding Gums of the Omniverse, will it so that he’ll act in the lead role.
I agree with you, Tues! Alex o`Loughlin would def be the better choice for that movie, than Jason Stratham, to play Nic, because I see certain similarities in him, in terms of the look alike!
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"When you think about magic, it is imagination plus willpower focused in such a way that you can create a conscious effect in the material world..."
Nicolas Cage is a runaway Spectral Guide from the Omniverse. Only his decided wrongness of existing within This Plane can account for the oddity that surrounds his fixed point in It All. Please, Bleeding Gums of the Omniverse, will it so that he’ll act in the lead role.
Honestly, I can't think of anyone I would like to see play Nic, I don't think he has to look like him so much as capture the essence of Nic, and how do you do that?
I'm not a fan of the idea of someone playing Nic.I don't think anyone can capture his essence either.i don't know...I just don't want to see anyone as Nic!
I agree with you both, Lady T. and Voodoo child! There may be a one or two actors out there, who look a little bit similar to Nic, but noone really can capture his essence! Because, that is uNIC Nic Cage!
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"When you think about magic, it is imagination plus willpower focused in such a way that you can create a conscious effect in the material world..."
Insightful thoughts ladies, I agree with all of you that noone can capture Nic's essence, they are neither the ( injured) party nor the witnesses. I think Nic himself will allow us keeping our fingers crossed in hoping the incredibly CAGing going!!
Just to offer a sideways look at that, would the actor who portayed Nic be trying to capture his essence or the essence of the characters Nic portrays??!?!?
the essence of Nicolas Cage is perhaps an enigmatic thing, or even a mythical construct....we only know him through his acting not the real life Nic, and on top of that we have those who perpetuate a idea of 'CAGEINESS' and it would be interesting, to me, to know if an actor would be trying to somehow portray the stereotypes of Nic, and if he did not, would the public be saying that they had not captured the 'essence of Nic'..when in fact they are basing their opinion of what that is on his characters?
I think this is why an actor tryng to portray another actor is ultimately a doomed task........... the public will be basing their opnion on what that actor is like on his roles. thus. only NICOLAS CAGE can play NICOLAS CAGE. *gets off soapbox*
Really interesting thoughts on that! I totally agree with you, Lula! We actually don`t really know, what the essence of the real Nic is! We only know the parts, what he shows in his movies and in interviews, that he attends, when promoting a new movie! And, it is so true of you to say: Only Nicolas Cage can play Nicolas Cage!
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"When you think about magic, it is imagination plus willpower focused in such a way that you can create a conscious effect in the material world..."
Indeed Roxy, it is an interesting point to consider, one could argue that because an actor is his / her own vehicle it is impossible to be invisible in your roles..my opnion has changed on this ... i think Nic does a very good job of getting himself out of the way and channeling the character...in the past i have felt perhaps there is a Nicolas Cage flavoured signature to his roles, but in the past couple of years, i have been astounded by his diversity, and I think perhaps it was seeing Justice last year where I saw something new in Nic's acting, yet again, where I was freshly blown away and really tangibly felt that this man, was Will Gerard, totally and completely. but who knows..maybe Nicoals Cage is just like Will Gerard!!!