01 October,2026 11:45 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Nicolas Cage. Pic via X
Nicolas Cage has reignited the conversation around superhero cinema after taking a pointed dig at the Marvel Cinematic Universe during an appearance at Fan Expo Dallas. The Oscar-winning actor questioned the direction of modern superhero films, comparing their increasingly elaborate action spectacles to professional wrestling.
Cage made it clear that his comments came "with love" before explaining what he finds difficult about the genre. "When I see these 50-plus and otherwise intelligent and remarkably gifted thespians putting on these ridiculous outfits and getting ready for the fight, let's face it, it's all cutting to the fight, it's hard for me not to be reminded that the MCU is becoming a well-funded and glorified WWE," he said.
Cage's criticism centres on what he sees as the increasing emphasis on elaborate costumes and large-scale fight sequences in superhero projects. His comparison to WWE comes from his observation that many of these films ultimately build towards highly choreographed confrontations between costumed characters.
While Cage has never appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself, his connection to Marvel stretches back years. He played Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider, in Ghost Rider and returned for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance in 2012.
His more recent superhero outing came with Sony's Spider-Noir, where he played Ben Reilly, a down-on-his-luck private investigator operating in 1930s New York. The eight-episode series presented the Spider-Man character through a period noir lens and was cancelled after its first season. Interestingly, Cage has previously said that it was the noir element that attracted him to the project rather than simply its connection to Marvel.
Ahead of Spider-Noir, Cage revealed that he wanted to draw inspiration from classic Hollywood performers including Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson. He described his approach as combining the style of old-school cinema with Stan Lee's Spider-Man, comparing the result to a Roy Lichtenstein-style pop-art experiment.
Taking on a television series was also unfamiliar territory for the actor. Cage admitted that he initially wondered whether his interpretation would work and even feared he could be fired before completing the project.
Meanwhile, Cage's earlier Marvel role is heading back to the MCU, with Ryan Gosling set to play Ghost Rider in an upcoming Marvel Studios film. Directed by Shawn Levy, the project is currently scheduled to release on July 28, 2028.
