Nicolas Cage is no stranger to larger than life characters. The actor, known for his roles in movies such as National Treasure, Mandy, and the 2006 remake of The Wicker Man (the bees!!) is now set to star in Butcher’s Crossing, according to Deadline, and the first look has just been released.
In the photo, we see a bald, bearded Cage adorned in heavy western style pelts and what appears to be a scar on his left cheek that may allude to some fighting or hunting that his character been doing. The film, which has begun production in Montana, will give Cage fans a new iconic character to quote, a buffalo hunter named Miller. The film, which is under the direction of Gabe Polsky, will be based on a novel by the same name written by John Williams which was published in 1960.
The book, which takes place in the 1870s, tells the tale of William Andrews, a youthful Harvard dropout, who is inspired by the writings and philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson as he heads west for a connection with nature. He ends up in a middle of nowhere Kansas town called, Butcher’s Crossing.
The town is filled with money-thirsty men that know how to waste a dollar. Ready for adventure, the young man joins a group of buffalo hunters led by Miller (Cage) as they leave Butcher’s Corner to seek out never-ending herds of the giant creatures beyond Kansas. Upon arriving to the promised land of buffalo, the journey quickly becomes a life and sanity risking adventure that may leave the men without money or their lives.
Cage’s last film, Pig received an unreal 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the film went on to gain great reviews from critics and fans alike. One thing is for sure, we are in for a treat with this new Cage project. Judging by this first photo alone, it looks like fans have another Cage-tastic, out-of-this-world character coming to our screens soon.