Nicolas Cage. That’s probably a name you haven’t heard in a MINUTE. But who could forget the charismatic actor who almost played Superman? Maybe it’s because the last time Nicolas Cage was trending was not due to his acting prowess but more so because of his memability. Starting in 2007, Cage became a regular in the meme world, with variations of his face and iconic movie scenes used as fodder for internet hilarity.

Leaving his memability aside, Cage has the sort of duality that is rarely found in today’s rising stars. As an Academy Award-winning actor, he’s starred in high-brow films like Leaving Las Vegas (where he bagged the Best Actor Oscar), but he's also starred in many, many action films, from Con Air and National Treasure to… well, other crazy, convoluted flicks that have been disgraced by the almighty overlord that is Rotten Tomatoes. 

While Cage has definitely been focusing his acting abilities on low-budget action films (in part because of his much-reported financial struggles), in recent years he has made a switch to playing parts that aren’t exactly what the audience thinks of when they see the actor’s name rolling through the credits. After taking a break from the limelight, Cage is now focusing on appearing in a variety of independent films with dynamic and novel premises.

Cage’s return came through the indie film Pig, where the actor played an ex-chef turned curmudgeonly farmer living on the outskirts of society with his pet pig. The plot revolves around Cage attempting to find his pet pig, who has been stolen from him. If you’re thinking the plot is similar to the John Wick series…. you are not alone. After the trailer’s release, netizens also compared the film to Taken and other action films that we would expect from Cage’s recent repertoire. 

But instead of getting an action-filled blockbuster where Cage attempts to rescue his beloved pet, Pig is an introspective film about dealing with grief and loss. This may seem very far off from our gun-toting Keanu Reeves-esque expectations. But in reality, the role is especially suited for someone like Cage, who has spent the last few years isolated from Hollywood spending most of his time in the Mojave desert. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Cage reflected on his experience rejoining the film industry: “This script came to me, and it seemed perfect for what I could recruit in terms of my own life experience — my own memories, my own dreams, my own fear — and even my interest in sort of isolating before the pandemic. When I read the script, I felt that this was something that would be a good match and wouldn’t require a great deal of effort. The timing was right.”

The timing was right for more than just Cage. Critics found his performance to be one of the best in his cinematic history, with the movie receiving a 97% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Award soothsayers have even begun speculating that Cage may get a nod from the Oscars this year -- the last time Cage received a nomination for best actor was back in 2003. With all the praise, Cage is just hoping to remind viewers that he’s more than just their favorite meme. “I think I’m going to continue, not so much to remind people or myself, but continue to play parts that allow me to express some meaning or some understanding of what it means to be a person,” he said in the same Vanity Fair interview. 

We’re all rooting for Cage to get his first Oscar nom since forever, but in the meantime, we can enjoy some of his other more mainstream films coming out that may even beat the National Treasure as your new favorite Cage movie. Keep an eye out for The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, an extremely meta movie starring Nicolas Cage as, well, Nicolas Cage. The plot loosely follows Cage’s own life as an actor who becomes financially ruined and is forced to attend a billionaire’s birthday party as a gig. Other films include a mystery entitled The Retirement Plan, two Westerns (The Old Way and Butcher’s Crossing), and Renfield, a supernatural movie based on the story of Count Dracula.

With all these movies coming out in late 2022, it’s time to prepare for the inevitable. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the renaissance of Nicolas Cage!