Nicolas Cage Insists The Wicker Man Was Supposed to be Funny

Though an Academy Award winner and revered in many circles for much of his work, actor Nicolas Cage sometimes finds himself the butt of a joke by the internet. Thanks to his performances in films like Raising Arizona, National Treasure, and last year’s hit movie Pig, Cage is a household name and notable for his craft, but his larger-than-life turns for films like the maligned Wicker Man remake have fans talk about him in a different light. The 2006 remake of the horror classic has become the subject of many a meme in the years since its release with many lambasting its over the top nature, and specifically Cage’s performance, as being so far out there that it’s unintentionally hilarious. that is unless you ask Nicolas Cage.

“I know people had fun with that even if they thought the comedy was not intentional,” Cage told Indiewire in a new interview. “I’m going on record right now: That is not a fact. Neil and I both knew how funny it was. It probably would’ve been more clear how funny it was if [producer] Avi Lerner let me have the handlebar mustache that I wanted to wear and be burned in the bear suit. That would’ve been so horrifying, but they didn’t go for that because all the comedy would’ve emerged from this horror. But Ari Aster did it brilliantly in ‘Midsommar.’ That was terrifying, but they didn’t have the vision that Neil and I had for it.”

Upon its release The Wicker Man garned a 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a rare “F” CinemaScore. It would go on to be “nominated” for five Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Actor and Worst Picture. Even with the drastic negative response it didn’t stop the film from being talked about with frequency over 15 years later. 

Cage is set to next star in the meta-feature, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. In the movie Cage plays a version of himself that is down on his luck and struggling to find any solid work until he’s offered $1 million to attend a superfan’s birthday (Pedro Pascal), only to get tangled up in a government operation. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent also stars Neil Patrick Harris, Tiffany Haddish, and Ike Barinholtz. The film is directed by Tom Gormican, who co-wrote the script with Kevin Etten.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent hits theaters on April 22nd and debuted at the SXSW festival to a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.