Nicolas Cage To Star In David O. Russell’s Madden

Nicholas Cage is set to play NFL coaching great John Madden in David O. Russell’s Madden. Deadline reports that Cage will play Madden in the biopic from Russell (Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle). Russell wrote the script after an earlier draft by Cambron Clark.

The film is set up at Amazon MGM and will be a drama depicting Madden’s path from head coach of the Oakland Raiders to the man behind the Madden NFL franchise, then onto become one of the most iconic sports broadcasters of all-time.

The role is arguably Cage’s most high-profile in years following his comeback that began in 2018 with the lauded indie horror hit Mandy. That was followed up with a voice role in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, then more genre work in the Lovecraft film Color Out of Space, Prisoners of the Ghostland, and Willy’s Wonderland. He earned critical accolades for 2021’s Pig, played himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Dracula in the Universal horror comedy Renfield, and earned a Golden Globe nod for 2023’s black comedy Dream Scenario. His most recent role was the titular serial killer in Osgood Perkins’ hit Longlegs.

“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,” said Russell in a statement. “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.”