Nicolas Cage Reflects on His ‘The Flash’ Cameo as an “Absolute Trip”

THE BIG PICTURE
Nicolas Cage candidly shared his experience regarding his short but sweet stint as Superman in ‘The Flash,’ a role he was once tantalizingly close to embodying on a much grander scale. Cage, having spent a mere hour on set, was tasked with emoting the collapse of an entire universe through his gaze alone—sans any spoken words. What truly caught him off-guard was the unexpected sight of his CGI-altered persona brawling with a monstrous spider—a scenario he had no hand in filming and was likely crafted through CGI wizardry rather than AI innovation.

While ‘The Flash’ might not have broken speed records at the box office for Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios, it did send ripples of excitement across the fandom with its fleeting homage to what could have been. Nicolas Cage donned the iconic Superman outfit, fulfilling a long-held aspiration albeit briefly, in the wake of the ‘90s Superman project that never took flight. A Superman enthusiast himself, Cage was robbed of the chance to play the superhero in Tim Burton’s ill-fated ‘Superman Lives.’ Yet, he managed to pour his heart into the cameo during Andy Muschietti’s theatrical sprint, ‘The Flash.’ In an elucidating chat with Yahoo! Entertainment, Cage dispelled some myths about his role and clarified his actual input in the project.

“I was definitely there on the day,” Cage asserts, quashing rumors that his cameo was merely a cobbling together of old footage from ‘Superman Lives.’ “I was suited up for no more than an hour,” he elaborates, affirming that despite the brevity, it was indeed a fresh and contemporary appearance. He remarks on the CGI-induced de-aging that lent him a youthful visage, potentially misleading some into thinking he wasn’t physically present on the set. However, he admits to not being the one engaging in combat with the gargantuan spider.

The assignment was straightforward for Cage: embody Superman standing in a different reality, observing the end of everything. “Imagine trying to encapsulate the weight of such a moment, especially with the limited time I had,” Cage reflects. “My task was to project the profound sense of devastation, mourning, and horror with just my eyes—and that’s what I endeavored to do.”

You can envision his astonishment when he attended the screening only to witness his character grappling with an immense arachnid. “That wasn’t me. I had nothing to do with that scene. It wasn’t artificial intelligence but good old CGI at play,” Cage clarifies. He emphasizes his true involvement: “All I really did was to slip into the suit, immerse myself in the visualization of a universe in shambles, and let my eyes tell the story of sorrow and dread.”

Nicolas Cage and the Canceled ‘Superman Lives’

The prospect of ‘Superman Lives’ was, on paper, a blockbuster in the making for Warner Bros. With the creative forces of Kevin Smith, Wesley Strick, and Dan Gilroy penning the script and Burton at the helm, the project promised to be an epochal superhero narrative. Yet, due to an excess of revisions and budgetary hesitations, the studio grounded the film, skeptical about investing heavily in a saga they feared might not soar.

Fast forward to the present, and Cage’s chance to step into the red boots as Kal-El, albeit under dire cinematic circumstances, must have been somewhat of a vindication. His portrayal was that of a Superman who stood by as worlds unraveled, a result of Barry Allen’s, portrayed by Ezra Miller, catastrophic tinkering with time. Although it didn’t race to the finish line of box office expectations, the movie did serve up a smorgasbord of cameos and a journey through the multiverse that was a feast for comic book enthusiasts.

Catch the adrenaline-fueled exploits of ‘The Flash’ and witness Nicolas Cage in his fleeting resurgence as Superman, with the film currently available for streaming on Max.

‘THE FLASH’ ON MAX

‘The Flash’

In a daring attempt to rewrite history, Barry Allen channels his superhuman speed to alter the past. Yet, his well-intentioned mission backfires, birthing a reality devoid of heroes. Now, he must sprint against time itself to correct the future.

Release Date: June 16, 2023
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle
Classification: PG-13
Genres: Superhero, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Production House: Warner Bros
Screenwriters: Gardner Fox, Joby Harold, Harry Lampert
Franchise: DC

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• Nicolas Cage Discusses Superman Cameo
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• Director Andres Muschietti’s Profile