Nicolas Cage Contemplates Retirement After Wrapping Up a Few More Projects
Nicolas Cage, renowned actor, recently revealed his intention to bid farewell to the film industry after completing just a handful more movies
Nicolas Cage. Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Nicolas Cage, after a lengthy film career, is preparing to explore new dimensions of his art.
"I feel that, after 45 years in this industry, I've pretty much expressed everything I have to say through cinema," explained the 59-year-old in an interview with Uproxx published on Monday, December 4. "I'd like to end on a positive note and bid farewell. I think I might need to do three or four more movies before I can reach that point, and then hopefully transition to a different form of expressing my acting."
Following the premiere of Dream Scenario in November, the National Treasure actor revealed that while he initially considered ending his acting career, he is obligated to fulfill other contracts. He expressed his intention to be more selective in his future projects, expressing interest in exploring different formats such as immersion streaming and episodic television.
"I've observed the potential for characters and their ability to fully express themselves within the time allotted," he explained. "For instance, Bryan Cranston stared at a suitcase for an entire hour in one episode of Breaking Bad. That's something we simply can't do in a feature film, so perhaps television is the next logical progression for me."
Now, in a move away from film, Cage aims to prioritize spending "quality time" with his family. The actor is the father of son Weston, 32, with ex Christina Fulton, Kal-El, 18, with ex-wife Alice Kim, and 15-month-old daughter August with wife Riko Shibata.
Nicolas Cage opened up about turning 60 next month and the significance it holds for him. "I’m going to be 60 next month and my dad died at 75. So it’s like, if I’m lucky, I have more years than he did, but I don’t know," Cage shared. "What’s important is my children and I have a baby daughter. And if I can find an episodic show to do that stays in one place where I don’t have to keep leaving, we can all be together. That, on a personal level, would be great."
This isn’t the first time Cage has brought up his retirement plans. In April 2018, the actor shared that he wants to focus more on other endeavors besides acting.
Deal of the Day
Melt Away End-of-Year Stress With This 'Perfect' Back and Neck Massager
"Directing is something I'm eager to pursue in the future," he admitted during a press conference to promote his film Primal, as reported by The Blast. "Currently, my main focus is on acting in films, and I plan to continue doing so for the next three or four years before shifting my focus to directing."
Cage gained attention for his role in the 2023 comedy-horror film Dream Scenario, where he plays a college professor who begins to appear in the dreams of strangers. The movie, featuring Dylan Gelula, Julianne Nicholson, Lily Gao, Noach Centineo, and Michael Cera, earned approximately $220,000 during its limited weekend opening and received praise from critics.
