There’s been a trend of veteran directors throwing shade at Marvel Studios for crowding the theatrical space and potentially pushing out smaller thought-provoking films during recent interviews. Well, not everyone shares the feeling evidently. While speaking with GQ Magazine for their April issue, actor Nicolas Cage, who starred in two “Ghost Rider” feature films, dismissed the idea that Marvel is harming smaller or mid-budget films.
“Yeah, why do they do that? I don’t understand the conflict. I don’t agree with them on that perception or opinion,” Cage referring to Martin Scorsese and his uncle Francis Ford Coppola’s comments on superhero movies.
“I think that the movies that I make, like ‘Pig’ or ‘Joe,’ are not in any kind of conflict with Marvel movies…If you look at ‘Power of the Dog,’ or if you look at ‘Spencer,’ or any of Megan Ellison’s movies. I think that there’s still Paul Thomas Anderson.”
Cage also praised Marvel Studios’ evolution from when he was making the “Ghost Rider” moves at Sony.
“Marvel has done a really excellent job of entertaining the whole family,” Cage explained. “They put a lot of thought into it. I mean, it’s definitely had a big progression from when I was doing the first two ‘Ghost Rider’ movies. Kevin Feige, or whoever is behind that machine, has found a masterful way of weaving the stories together and interconnecting all the characters. What could be wrong with wholesome entertainment that is appealing to the parents and the children and gives people something to look forward to?”
Speaking of Ghost Rider, the character rights are back at Marvel but don’t expect to see Cage reprise the role in “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” as the actor is game to work Benedict Cumberbatch but doesn’t think he’ll be joining the MCU.
“Oh, I don’t think so. I don’t think they’re casting me. I mean, I would do it. It would be fun. I’d love to work with Cumberbatch, but I don’t think that’s happening,” Cage said when asked about a rumored cameo. He would likely know, ‘Multiverse of Madness’ already shot a lot of cameos in reshoots, those are long done, and if Cage were in the film already, well, he might not reveal his part, but at least he’d likely act more cagey (pardon the pun).
These comments come after previous comments about Cage’s strained working relationship with Marvel’s parent company Disney, but who knows, they potentially could work together again if the right project came along and fences were mended.