For the last decade (or is it already 2 decades?) Nicolas Cage has been synonymous of awful unwatchable science fiction, horror and action dramas. Titles like Pay the Ghost (2015), Drive Angry (2011), Bangkok Dangerous (2008) or that painful remake The Wicker Man (2006) are only a little few to certify that. Even when he fronted high-budget superhero flicks like Ghost Rider (2007), the final product was a complete disaster. Also even when working under the orders of consecrated filmmakers like Paul Schrader in Dog Eat Dog (2016) the results were always mediocre. And the list goes and goes. As a result for that everybody are convinced that the Oscar-winning times for Leaving Las Vegas (1995) or the epic moments delivered in Wild at Heart (1990) are gone, long gone.
But maybe this is going to change. Or, at least, good old Nicolas Cage will enjoy of another rarity in his career like was Kick-Ass (2010). Because it’s been now confirmed via Deadline.com that he will star the second film of Panos Cosmatos, entitled “Mandy”. This will be the follow-up to the director’s debut, the crazy and addictive science fiction thriller Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010). “Mandy” tells the story of a man, played by Cage, who will is thirsty or revenge against the murderers of the love of his life. A hell of violence will break loose against the religious sect. And us the blood craving audience are expecting all kinds of visual atrocities! After all, the director is the son of acclaimed late filmmaker George P. Cosmatos, one of the main names in the 1980s and 1990s action films, with titles like Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Cobra (1986) or Tombstone (1993) on his back.
“Mandy” is produced by Elijah Wood co-owned company SpectreVision, who already delievered the incredible The Greasy Strangler (2016) last year, and distributed by XYZ Films. And as Daniel Noah, SpectreVision’s Head of Development, has stated, “Panos is one of the most vital young filmmakers alive, a pop-culture Kubrick in the making”. He continues “Nicolas Cage is a veritable god to those of us who grew up watching his classic performances. Bringing these two together for this surrealist, heavy-metal-soaked story of battle axes and demon bikers is unfathomably exciting to us”.
All these facts sound exciting enough, right? Well, that’s not all! Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, author of the scores for Denis Villeneuve’s most notorious films Sicario (2015), Arrival (2016) or Blade Runner 2049 (2017), will be in charge of the soundtrack. Surely the final touch, the perfect mix between the classy 1980s feeling and a thrilling action pace.
The filming for “Mandy” is scheduled to start this summer in Belgium, so let’s hope early in 2018 the movie can see the light. Maybe it could be one of the highlights in genre festivals next year! Will it be the rebirth of Nicolas Cage? And, even more important, for how long will this time last? Nick, it’s not easy to love you but we try!
