The films that are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are hardly the first set of superhero films that came out of Marvel. While Nicolas Cage is not anticipating a role in the MCU, the actor has played Johnny Blaze in Marvel’s Ghost Rider and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
However, Nicolas Cage has a different reason for not disrespecting the MCU. While the fraternity that the actor feels with his fellow Marvel superhero actors might be a part of it, there is a deeper reason that the actor cites for his reluctance to speak out against the MCU, or Marvel at large.
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Nicolas Cage named himself after a Stan Lee character
Nicolas Kim Coppola, professionally known as Nicolas Cage, based his last name on a character created by Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee. Cage is a self-proclaimed comic book fan, having almost played Superman as well, in the scrapped Superman Lives film, to be directed by Tim Burton. Talking about his reluctance to speak out about the problems with Marvel films, the actor said:
“I’ve gotta be nice about Marvel movies because I named myself after a Stan Lee character named Luke Cage. What am I going to do, put Marvel movies down? Stan Lee is my surrealistic father. He named me.”
Despite his deep respect for Marvel properties, Cage has made it loud and clear that he does not care if he is being cast in the MCU or not. Given that he had already played Ghost Rider, the actor was expected to make a cameo in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, but that proved to be false. While the actor has no hang-ups about missing any MCU-related opportunities, there is one hang-up that Cage still nurses to this day.
Nicolas Cage regrets that Superman Lives did not see the light of day
While Cage might not be looking forward to a gig in the MCU, there was a film that he just couldn’t wait to get off the ground: Tim Burton’s unproduced 1990s film, Superman Lives. Regarding the choice of Tim Burton as the director, the actor said:
“I said, this has to be Tim Burton. I called Tim and said, ‘Would you do this?’ Tim didn’t cast me, I cast Tim, and Tim said yes. I loved what he did with Michael [Keaton] and Batman, and I was a big fan.”
The film was allegedly about to be directed by Die Hard 2 director Renny Harlin, but Cage insisted that the film be given to Burton, who was coming in hot after his big success with Batman, starring Michael Keaton. While the film was never made, the universe lives on as a cameo in 2023’s The Flash, which brought back Burton’s Batman for an extended role in the DCEU.
