Nicolas Cage to Play Football Legend John Madden in New Movie

‘American Hustle’s David O. Russell is in the director’s chair for the new film, which will chart Madden’s coaching days and his switch from that to TV/video game fame.

Nicolas Cage presents a nominee for Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

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Nicolas Cage is playing John Madden in a new movie called ‘Madden’.
David O. Russell wrote the script and will direct.
It’ll follow Madden from his 1970s days and beyond.

Nicolas Cage is on a bit of a hot streak at the moment. Between showing some serious self-awareness (and self-deprecation) for ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ and logging some of the best performances of his recent career in the likes of ‘Pig’, ‘Dream Scenario’ and this year’s creepy winner ‘Longlegs’, he’s putting in the work.

And a new movie will offer a fresh, considerable challenge: Cage will play real life NFL icon John Madden for director David O. Russell in ‘Madden’.

What’s the story of ‘Madden’?

John Madden. Photo: NFL.com.

With a script by Russell (based on earlier work from Cambron Clark), the exact details of what ‘Madden’ will cover remain a little indistinct at the moment.

But there is certainly a lot to choose from. Madden was a star player in high school, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1958, only for injury to curtail his rookie season.

Instead, he went on to earn a degree in teaching and put his skills/experience to good use as a coach, going on to lead the Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl and a win in 1977.

Madden became known as one of the best coaches in the sport’s history, but his all-consuming passion and commitment wore on him, and he retired for health reasons.

Still, a hugely successful second chapter dawned as courted by the fledgling gaming company Electronic Arts to be the front man for its Madden NFL multi-player video game. Madden had never played a video game, but it turned into an outlet where he could lend his knowledge and help the masses better understand the gridiron.

The game has long been a sensation –– even with its inspiration dying in 2021, it continues to this day as a favorite of players and fans.

And beyond even that, Madden also became famous as a beloved commentator on the game he loved so much, his enthusiasm pouring from the screen, and his habit of scribbling on the screen making him a firm favorite among viewers.

‘Madden’: David O. Russell talks Nicolas Cage

David O. Russell on the set of 'American Hustle'. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing/Francois Duhamel
Copyright: © 2013 Annapurna Productions LLC All Rights Reserved.

Here’s what Russell said about the casting news in a statement:

“Nicolas Cage, one of our greatest and most original actors, will portray the best of the American spirit of originality, fun, and determination in which anything is possible as beloved national legend John Madden. Together with the ferocious style, focus, and inspired individualism of Al Davis, owner of the underdog Oakland Raiders, the feature will be about the joy, humanity and genius that was John Madden in a wildly inventive, cool world of the 1970s.”

Russell himself is something of a controversial figure, his successful directing career also marked by criticisms of his attitude to women and other groups. He’s also been known for his mercurial behavior on set, infamously clashing with George Clooney on ‘Three Kings’.

It left such a mark on the actor that even now he won’t work with Russell, commenting in a recent interview:

“It’s not just like, ‘Oh, I’m going to go do a really good film, like ‘Three Kings’, and I’m going to have a miserable f*** like David O Russell making my life hell. Making every person in the crew’s life hell.’ ”

Let’s hope Cage has a better time of it.

When will the new David O. Russell/Nicolas Cage movie ‘Madden’ be in theaters?

Amazon/MGM Studios is backing the drama, but it has yet to receive a release date.

‘Nicolas Cage' (Nicolas Cage) greets 'Javi Gutierrez' with a 'Palm Hold Fist' salute as he arrives in Mallorca, Spain. Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.