Nicolas Cage to play NFL legend John Madden in new biopic from David O. Russell

Nicolas Cage is set to play NFL legend John Madden in David O. Russell’s upcoming biographical drama Madden.

• READ MORE: ‘Longlegs’ review: Nicolas Cage brings the batshit in seriously creepy serial killer movie

Madden, who died in 2021 at the age of 85, was the iconic head coach of the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s, leading the team to numerous championship games and its first Super Bowl victory.

He went on become a mainstay of television football coverage, spending three decades as a commentator after retiring from coaching in 1979. He’s also the namesake of the popular video game franchise, Madden NFL, and continued to provide creative input for the series after his retirement as a broadcaster in 2009.

“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,” Russell said in a statement (via Variety)

“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.”

The upcoming film will be written, directed and produced by Russell. The filmmaker was reportedly considering Will Ferrell and Hugh Jackman to star before Cage was cast.

Additional casting for Madden will be announced at a later date, according to the studio.

Oscar-winner Cage can currently be seen in the box office hit Longlegs, which has grossed nearly $100 million globally to date. His other recent credits include A24’s Dream Scenario, meta comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and the acclaimed drama Pig.

Russell is the Oscar-nominated filmmaker of American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook, The Fighter and I Heart Huckabees. His latest film, 2022’s star-studded period drama Amsterdam, majorly flopped in cinemas, earning just $31 million at the global box office.

In addition to “Madden,” Russell is also working on a Linda Ronstadt biopic, starring Selena Gomez, as well as a 1970s-set drama Super Toys, featuring Keke Palmer and Sacha Baron Cohen.

In a previous interview, Cage explained how he channelled his mother in order to play a satanic serial killer in Longlegs, before adding: “Not that she was satanic.”

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