Nicolas Cage is one of the many high-profile celebrities who is also an avowed Star Trek fan. The Oscar-winning actor picked up a Saturn Award on Sunday for his role as Dracula in Renfield. TrekMovie caught up with the prolific Hollywood icon on the red carpet to talk to him about his hopes to be in Star Trek.
Cage wants to be on the Enterprise
Last year, Nicolas Cage told Yahoo that he was not interested in being in Star Wars, explaining he prefers Star Trek. At the Saturn Awards on Sunday, TrekMovie asked him about this and he elaborated:
“Well, my passion is more Trekkie. I grew up watching Shatner and Nimoy and Bones and those stories on television had a lot of wisdom and socially relevant commentary. So I’ve always been partial to Star Trek.”
In that 2023 Yahoo interview, Cage praised Chris Pine’s portrayal of Kirk as well, saying he thought the new J.J. Abrams-produced Star Trek movies were “outstanding.” At the Saturn Awards, Cage confirmed that following that interview there were some discussions about him appearing in a new Star Trek movie. Cage told TrekMovie:
“Well, I’ve been hearing some talk about it, but nothing real… Since [the 2023 interview] there was a few comments from Paramount, but who knows?”
When it came down to what kind of role he was interested in, Cage was specific. He wasn’t interested in playing the villain, saying:
“I’d want to be on the bridge. I want to be on the Enterprise. Yeah… Who knows?”
Nicolas Cage at the 2024 Saturn Awards (Photo: Saturn Awards)
Currently, there are at least two active Star Trek feature films in development at Paramount Pictures under producer J.J. Abrams. This includes a direct sequel to 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, which would be the final film featuring the full Kelvin universe cast led by Chris Pine. There is also a film to be directed by Toby Haynes which “expands on the Star Trek universe,” described as “an origin story.” Maybe there is room for Nicolas Cage in one of those.
More to come from the Saturn Awards
TrekMovie spoke to more Star Trek presenters, nominees, and winners at the Saturn Awards so come back for more interviews and updates.
Find more news on all the upcoming Trek movies at TrekMovie.com.
His career goes up and down but he’s been in some really memorable ones.
Con Air with Colm Meany!!!!!!!!!
Don’t know which I’d less want to see among trekfan actors, him or Daniel craig.
So it’s more than just the Bond role reason that you don’t like Craig?
Yea, he seems to have forsaken his acting chops in favor of persona work that seems limp given the dour personality. The guy was OK in Munich and perdition. Between quantum and spcctr he talked about wanting to play kirk, which I thought was as bad an idea as Trump being president.
No matter how badly an actor might be miscast, there’s surely no such example that’s remotely as bad an idea as that bigoted, dishonest, incompetent, self-aggrandizing authoritarian ass being president.
At the time, I was using it as an exaggerated comparison and for humor, never thinking Trump would actually try to run, let alone that American voters would vote him or someone of his ilk in. `
Never doubt the ignorance and stupidity of the American public. Donald Trump being President again would be akin to Jefferson Davis being the next President after Lincoln.
He would be the wrong choice for Kirk. He might be interesting as Captain Maxwell or Captain Tracy, though.
The only bad Nic Cage idea for casting I ever heard was Superman. I know he is a die hard fan and put his all into it (and did for 5 seconds) but IMHO he just does not fit the role.
I answered this three hours ago, have no idea why it hasn’t shown up yet.
It’s there now — thanks!
What you are saying about Craig also reminds me of Jeremy Remmer.
He hasn’t done anything great like his work in THE TOWN in a long while, has he?
He has a much praised streaming show ‘mayor of kingstown’ as well as Disney + ‘hawkeye’
I have not seen Kingstown, but his Hawkeye puts me to sleep.
Thank you for sharing. Seriously.
No.
No.
No.
Also, no, which I forgot to mention.
Why not? He could be a good fit for any movie with a great script with a good Director and group of actors. Star Trek has a good record for great casting.
Your personal nightmare: Craig playing a recast of Raffi (aka Starbuck in BSG)
sorry, “Cage”
Also yes.
CAGE.
Why? No one is saying he should be a pre established and beloved character, just that he would be on the Enterprise. Give him a red shirt and we are good to go :)
Rebuttal:
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Have him play an Admiral. But like, you know, a GOOD Admiral for a change.
I dunno… I’d rather they cast someone who can act. :)
You should really watch “Pig”. Great film, great performance.
Agreed!
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Oscar? Check.
SAG Award? Check.
Golden Globe Award? Check.
National Board of Review Award? Check. National Society of Film Critics Award? Check. New York Film Critics Circle Award? Check. Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award? Check. Toronto Film Critics Association Award? Check. Chicago International Film Festival Career Achievement Award? Check. San Francisco International Film Festival Award? Check. Saturn Award? Check.
CAGE.
Well it’s certainly obvious that you are not talking about Lower Decks here. ;-)
See what I meant? Even though the article is not about Lower Decks and no one has talked about Lower Decks… you had to put in your digs.
Like I said, I have fun with it. If you want to take me way too seriously, well dude, that’s your problem, not mine. :-)
CAGE TREK
LOL we already had Star Trek: The Cage ;)
So no Emmy then. LOL J/K!!! Impressive!
YES
YES
OH
YES
Lorna, it would NEVER happen.
The Kelvin version of Robert April, maybe?
Fascinating!
Thanks.
Robert April has been established in canon as being black.
This would be like having, say, Jesse Plemons play Sisko.
In the Prime universe he’s black. In the Kelvin universe he could be white, ala ‘Khan’. ;)
Indeed.
In TAS, the first time we meet Robert April he’s white, an older man with white hair.
But the Kelvin universe split from the Prime universe only after the Narada incident. Before then, they were supposed to be the same universe. April was alive then.
The Khan idiocy is unexplainable, but the movie was awful, and my rationalization is that he either had radical plastic surgery to disguise himself, or more likely, Joachim pretended he was Khan, with the aforesaid explanation.
Personally, I view the whole Kelvin universe as an alternative take on Star Trek and not “canon” per se, but I still dislike all this arbitrary changing of race, gender, etc. Why not make Mr. Spock a Tamarian, if nothing matters?
The argument that April would be the same man in both universes because of when the split happened doesn’t work because it would have to apply to Pike as well, and that isn’t the case since he is played by two different actors in the movies and Strange New Worlds.
If you had paid attention to the movie you would have heard them mention that S31 changed his identity. Into Darkness was the best Trek movie btw.
Khan in the Kelvin universe had his identity changed by S31. So before S31 found him he would have looked the same as in the prime universe.
HA I know you are joking but YUCK!
“Apppppprillllllllllllllll…..Apppppprillllllllllllllll…..Apppppprillllllllllllllll.”
Not — really. We are talking about two different timelines.
I’d be happy to see Cage in trek but not in that role IMO.
Cage is not exactly my favorite actor.
I could see him playing a Kelpian, though; he looks the part.
Good point, I concede to you on that.
See, I enjoy watching Cage films because I enjoy watching HIM… he’s always CAGE, in any character. He’s a huge presence, and just being a character on the bridge wouldn’t suit him. No, he needs his own ship, and he needs to be unhinged!
I would love to see Cage play Sisko! Let’s have some fun.
It seems crazy over the years that given so many stars like Cage have made P aware of this, they they hardly ever take advantage of it?
Very much agreed.
Nic Cage has commanded blockbuster films, and also given riveting performances in lesser known/non-blockbuster movies. I actually prefer his work in the latter category. My guess is P is worried about money when it comes to A-list stars who express a desire to become involved with Trek; Cage seems like the kind of actor though … at this point in his career if it’s a solid script and a solid part money wouldn’t be his top concern.
He’s a great actor, given the right script. Just a couple of examples are Leaving Las Vegas (won an Oscar, and rightfully so) and the more recent Pig. I’d love to see him in this franchise. We could only be so lucky. Problem is, Trek scripts have a sad history properly utilizing major actors.
I think he could be a good Matt Decker.
first of all cage has had an amazing 40 years… every decade… valley girl, peggy sue, raising arizona, moonstruck, bringing out the dead, the rock, gone in 60 seconds, adaptation, mandy, color out of space, pig, this years dream scenario… he does drama comedy horror action… he is the absolute perfect guy to be a trek captain somewhere… im hoping if skydance ends up with paramount they get on the phone with him and others asap and just have fun
i want to see nicolas cage and dwight schultz on the enterprise together.
He should be Garth of Izar before going mad on Strange New Worlds.
AFTER going mad, you mean.
Or before and after…
His crazy acting style would make an excellent Commodore Decker. They should do a Doomsday Machine movie and get Cage for that. Also he should get his uncle Francis Ford Coppola to direct the film.
It’s hard to imagine him in Star Trek, but he’s got some great movies I do love him in, so never say never! I’d be really curious what he’d bring to a hero or serious role in Trek.
Would love to see him in Star Trek great actor
Nicolas CAGE in a remake of The CAGE…
Cage as Pike would have to be a remake of the first pilot, y’know, billed as Cage in THE CAGE. Or Cage as Kirk in Enemy Within as CAGE FIGHT. Or as the first Starfleeter to fall into the sun (was he pushed?) in CAGED HEAT. Or a guy rescuing an unborn hatchling in CAGE FREE EGG.
Okay, I’m done yolking around now.
JJ-verse Robert April
Cage has become one of those actors that’s more of a personality than anything, so it can be hard to separate him from his persona, and I wouldn’t want that in a quality Trek project. But if they want to put him on SNW or one of the JJ Movies I wouldn’t mind at all.
Nic would be perfect for Trek & it would expand the franchise a little!
Cage Trek would be awesome 😎
Make it so 👈
Does anyone know if Taylor Swift is a Trek fan and can she act? I know nothing about her, but people seem to like her.
Cage in Trek. Make it so.
I think they should remake “The Doomsday Machine” with Nick Cage as Commodore Decker.
Big budget, cutting edge CGI, and Nick just chewing up the scenery as the grief stricken Decker.
Paul Wesley as Kirk, Ethan Peck as Spock and Celia as Uhura to flesh out the bridge crew.
Make it so!!!