Nicolas Cage News

As National Treasure: Book of Secrets cleans up at the box office, its star has already said he'd be in for a third movie in the franchise.

What else does Nicolas Cage have to say about the film? Here's a recent interview:

Q: How are you like Ben Gates, your character?
Nicolas Cage: One of the things that come to mind is ancestors. In a lot of, so called, primitive cultures there is a tremendous respect for our ancestors. We don't see that as much, for whatever the reason, in modern American culture. With Ben, I wanted to make it clear that he really believes, probably because the grandfather, played by Christopher Plummer, knighted him at such an early age.

He took it to heart and he really believes, in a chivalrous way, that everything he today is because of his ancestors. They are not dead to him, they are still there with him, and he's honoring them. I like that about him. I think I try to embrace that in my own life. Also history, it's a quid pro quo, I think because of playing Ben Gates I really appreciate history now.

I enjoy being in places that I feel the weight of past events. I like old architecture, old buildings, and if you use a little imagination you can time travel.

Check out the complete interview with Cage now.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets isn't even in theaters yet.

But its star is excited about the possibility of a third movie in that franchise. Nicolas Cage told ComingSoon.net that he'd be interested in doing another film in the series:

"With National Treasure, I believe that it should become more and more 'International Treasure,' Cage said. "I was very happy to see that we went to London, England and Paris, France, but I'd like to see the movie go wider still. I'd like to go into Africa, Egypt, Asia, and keep going.

My hope is that Ben is recruited and he gets a dossier from these other countries about their history, and has to download it and learn it, and then try to go on these hunts on their behalf. That would be a lot of fun for me."

What about a sequel to Ghost Rider?

"All they have to do is call, and I would love to see that happen. That would be fun," Cage said.

If Brian De Palma moves ahead with prequel The Untouchables: Capone Rising, it will be without Nicolas Cage.

Cage had been in negotiations to star in the follow-up, but talks have ended because of scheduling issues, according to his reps.

Relativity Media is financing the film, while Paramount has domestic distrib rights. Art Linson, who produced De Palma's 1987 original The Untouchables, is producing the prequel as well.

In Cannes last week, Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh announced that Gerard Butler has joined the cast.

Butler (300) is set for the part of Jimmy Malone, played by Sean Connery in the original. Cage would have played the young Al Capone.

Cage is presently shooting National Treasure: Book of Secrets, which opens in December. He hasn't said what his next movie will be after that.

Nicolas Cage is set to play Chicago crime boss Al Capone in The Untouchables: Capone Rising.

Cage will reteam with Snake Eyes director Brian DePalma for the project, playing a younger version of the character made famous by Robert DeNiro. Capone Rising is a prequel to DePalma's 1987 classic The Untouchables, and will revolve around the early dealings between Capone and Irish cop Jimmy Malone, a role that earned an Oscar for Sean Connery.

Principal photography on the high-profile flick will begin in October, 21 years after its predecessor was filmed. No word yet on whether the temporary Capone Rising title will be scrapped, following the chilly reponse audiences gave to February's Hannibal Rising prequel.

Based on the classic 50's/60's TV drama, The Untouchables was a box office and critical smash that announced Kevin Costner as a leading man, re-launched the career of Connery, and showed the world that you should never turn your back on DeNiro when he's holding a baseball bat.