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Throughout his virtually 100 - film career , Nicolas Cagehas move around down over a dozen role , include activity spectacle and a crackpot comedy . A versatile actor , Nicolas Cage ’s survey includes prize - suitable prestigiousness films and over - the - top trick in smaller , low - budget motion-picture show .
A nephew ofThe Godfatherdirector Francis Ford Coppola , Nicolas Cage got his start with a small-scale role inFast Times at Ridgemont High(1982 ) before shift his name from Nicolas Coppola . hasten with the Moon(1984 ) allowed Cage to show off his acting abilities , and his life history ’s Ascension of Christ began in businesslike with leading or co - lead role throughout the 80s inRaising Arizona , Moonstruck , andWild at Heart . But Cage ’s cultural memory cache solidified in the 90s when he oscillated between his Oscar - winningLeaving Las Vegasand broad performance inThe Rock , Con Air , andFace / Off .
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During his career , he has been moot for roles inCharlie and the Chocolate Factory , The Breakfast Cluband aneventually - scrappedSuperman Livesproject , but the list of part Cage rejected include three career - set franchises as well as smaller prestigiousness projects that might have netted Cage another Oscar . Here is every major movie Nicolas Cage bend down .
Aragorn -Lord of the Rings
Aragorn , the lead grapheme finally play by Viggo Mortensen , in Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy was almost played by Nicolas Cage . Rather than become up for the fantasy epos , he decline , stating in an consultation withMTVfrom 2007 , that he did not require to be off from his kin , particularly for a foresightful menstruum of clip . All threeLord of the Ringsfilms were take simultaneously in New Zealand between October 1999 and December 2000 , with pickup occurring from 2001 to 2004 .
Neo -The Matrix
On the heels of his success with XC action movie , Cage joined a list of impressive thespian , includingWill Smith , Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp , in consideration for the role in Neo in The Wachowskis ' scientific discipline fable / martial humanistic discipline epicThe Matrix . like toLord of the Rings , he slip by on the role because he did n’t want to be away from his family , as the film was being filmed in Australia . The role went to Keanu Reeves , who will repeat his function as Neo in the upcomingThe Matrix 4 .
Shrek -Shrek
coop is no unknown to invigoration , as he ’s voiced part inThe Ant BullyandSpider - Man : Into the Spider - Verse . However , he escape an opportunity to voice the nominal demon in DreamWorks ' Oscar - winning film , Shrek . After the tragic passing oforiginal Shrek vox Chris Farley , Cage was count for the role by DreamWorks forefront Jeffrey Katzenberg and he ab initio stated that he call on it down because he did not need to act an ugly green devil . He spoke withTODAYabout how the"news said it was because of self-love . I think that ’s a bit unattackable . But the accuracy is , I ’m not afraid to be ugly in a picture . [ … ] When you ’re drawn , in a mode it says more about how children are going to see you than anything else , and I so deal about that . “He also clarified to theDaily Mailin 2013,“Maybe I should have done it , look back . "
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The theatrical role went to Mike Myers , whose Scottish - accented take lend a lot of laugh and likability to Shrek , and Myers reprised the function in three sequels and a identification number of spin - offs .
Harry Dunne -Dumb and Dumber
The Farrelly Brothers’Dumb and Dumberalmost paired Jim Carrey with Nicolas Cage alternatively of Jeff Daniels . Speaking withThe Huffington Postin 2012 , Cage reflected on discourse with Carrey about co - go the movie , and though he express interest , Cage chose his Oscar - winning part in Mike Figgis’Leaving Las Vegasinstead .
Joel Barish -Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Written by Charlie Kaufman , who previously get together with Cage on 2002’sAdaptation , and directed by Michel Gondry , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis a gorgeous moving-picture show that blends romance and sci - fi . betimes into pre - yield , Gondry had his eye on Cage for the leading role of Joel Barish . He offered Cage the role and explained toThe Daily Beastwhen discuss the film ’s tenth day of remembrance in 2014,“Every independent director who wanted to make a commercial moving-picture show asked Nicolas Cage to be in their pic after Leaving Las Vegas , except that he would only do one out of ten of those project . “The role hold up to Jim Carrey , who garnered a Golden Globe nominating address .
Randy “The Ram” Robinson -The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky ’s 2008 sports dramatic play , The Wrestler , follows the story of Randy " The Ram " Robinson , a washed up ' 80 pro matman dealing with a upset folk and a failing sum . Aronofsky offer the role to Cage , who initially take over , but as time progressed , Cage resigned from the project , because [ viaAccess Hollywood ] he did n’t have"enough time to attain the look of the wrestler who was on steroids . “Other reports state that it was a reciprocal conclusion with Aronofsky , who gave the role to his original pick , Mickey Rourke .
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Benjamin Chudnofsky -The Green Hornet
Instead of a mind - bending sci - fi Latinian language likeEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , Michel Gondry offered Cage a role in the superhero comedyThe Green Hornet . With Seth Rogen in the lead role , Gondry wantedCage to portray antagonist Benjamin Chudnofsky , a mobster going through a midlife crisis . It look like batting cage was locked down to convey the reference to living , until dropping out at the last second due to clashes with Gondry . He verbalise a lack of interestof"just being a square - up bad guy cable who was pour down people willy - nilly . “The persona went to Christoph Waltz in one of his first roles after winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar forInglorious Basterds .
Chev Chelios -Crank
Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor - the dyad behind 2006’sCrank- break at aQ&A panel at New York Comic Conin 2011 that Cage was the histrion in mind for Jason Statham ’s role , Chev Chelios . When writing the script in 2003 , the directors expressed passion about the actor portraying the lead character in the legal action - thriller . But Cage passed on the role due to programing conflicts , as he was potential filmingNational Treasure . They after worked together on 2012’sGhost Rider : Spirit of the Vengeance .
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Robert Hansen -The Frozen Ground
animate by the terrifying real - life history story of in series killer Robert Hansen , The Frozen Groundcenters around an Alaska res publica trooper who stumbles across a worrisome execution caseful . Though Cage actually stars in the film as the cavalryman looking for Hansen , managing director Scott Walker had offered him the function of the infamous Orcinus orca . Speaking withFilm School Rejects , Cage said,“Originally they wanted me to diddle Hansen , but I just did n’t want to go there . “When accept on the role of Jack Halcombe , he want to"to give back to a more minimum , documental panache of pic performance . “The role went to John Cusack , who received positive response for his function . As unbelievable as he was , Nicolas Cagewould’ve fascinate the psychic of a serial killer perfectly .
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