Nicolas Cage Compares Upcoming ‘Longlegs’ to a Twisted ‘Pinocchio’: I’m Playing a ‘Possessed Geppetto’
Samantha Bergeson
There may be two “Pinocchio” films on the horizon, but Nicolas Cage just threw in an unexpected twisted take on the beloved classic.
Cage is set to star in and produce the upcoming horror film “Longlegs,” written and directed by Osgood Perkins (“The Blackcoat’s Daughter”). Filming is set to begin in 2023, and the feature will be in the vein of classic Hollywood psychological thrillers. While the plot details were formerly under wraps, Cage teased a few spoilers while in conversation with horror icon John Carpenter for Document Journal.
“I’m working with Oz [Perkins], who you probably know,” Cage told Carpenter. “He’s pretty strong in the horror genre at the moment. But he’s actually Anthony [Perkins’] son. He’s done some really good movies. ‘Gretel and Hansel’ was terrific.”
Cage continued of “Longlegs,” “It’s about a character who’s hearing voices. It’s kind of like a possessed Geppetto, who’s making these dolls.”
The tale of two (or three?) “Pinocchios” continues with Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion feature for Netflix and Robert Zemeckis’ upcoming Disney+ film. David Bradley voices Geppetto in del Toro’s feature, with Tom Hanks playing the aged toymaker in the Disney movie.
The Cage previously shared in April 2022 that he hopes to explore the horror genre by collaborating with Robert Eggers and Ari Aster in the future. Of course, the “Raising Arizona” alum is also open to returning to his comedy roots.
“Right now, I’m excited that the comedy is back on the menu. It hasn’t been there for, gosh, 15 years. That’s nice that I may have the opportunity to do more comedy,” Cage said earlier this year. “But I’ve never done a musical. That would be something that I would be curious about.”
Up next, Cage is leading comedy “Renfield” as Dracula, a role for which he said he went full “Goth” opposite Nicholas Hoult and Awkwafina. Cage is also set to star in the action movie “Sympathy for the Devil,” Kristoffer Borgli’s “Dream Scenario,” revenge film “The Old Way,” and survival thriller “Sand and Stones.”
Yet Cage will probably not venture into TV, at least not for now. The Oscar winner told IndieWire that he is “still predominantly interested in what I can do with movies, whether they’re streamed or in the cinema” despite the rise of streaming limited series.
“I like the finite aspect of two hours or so. But I don’t know that I ever really wanted to be trapped in one place for six months to a year with a group of people who I may or may not want to get in step with,” Cage said. “That seems like a pretty daunting task. I like that I can get in and out with movies and explore different places.”
