Nicolas Cage has appeared in over 110 films in his career, including 13 roles alone in the 2020s. (Keep in mind, we are still only in 2023.) That’s a lot of acting — especially the way Nic Cage does it, which always involve a loooot of acting. Now on the cusp of turning 60, Cage says after all those dozens of film performances, he’s almost ready to call it quits for good.
Speaking with Vanity Fair, Cage said he may only have “three or four more movies left in me.” He added…
I do feel I’ve said what I’ve had to say with cinema. I think I took film performance as far as I could … I do want to get much more severe and stringent in my selection process … I want to say bye on a high note.
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Cage noted that his own father passed away at the age of 75 and as he approaches 60 himself, it has him contemplating how he wants to spend his remaining years.
“It occurred very clearly to me that I want to spend time with my family, he added, “I’m starting to cement my plan.”
Cage doesn’t necessarily think he will fully retire; he wants to slow down, and perhaps move into new mediums. He specifically told Vanity Fair he wants to “switch formats” and perhaps headline a TV series akin to what Bryan Cranston did when he took on Breaking Bad after years known as a comedy actor.
“Maybe it’s time to look at the immersive streaming experience,” he also said. “I don’t know. I have to look for the next step and I haven’t found it yet.”
Look, if Nicolas Cage is tired of making movies, so be it. But we cannot allow him to go away completely. If he wants to TV, fabulous; give him his own TV show! That sounds terrific. Or some kind of immersive experience? Okay great, let’s get immersed in Cage. But Cage is too vital to let him slip away completely. When he’s been locked in on a good role in recent years, as in something like Pig, he remains one of our very best actors.
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