Monday 25 August, 12:00 by Karzal

Nicolas Cage in conversation about True Detective season five

Nicolas Cage is in advanced talks to star in season five of True Detective — the next installment of the dark crime drama.

Oscar winner Nicolas Cage is in the running for an undisclosed role in the anthology series, but he is expected to play the law enforcement officer at the center of a new mystery.

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Nicolas Cage

This season follows HBO's earlier choice to cast another Oscar winner, Jodie Foster, in season four (True Detective: Night Country), which received widespread acclaim and is widely seen as a revival for the series after two disappointing seasons.

Showrunner Issa López, who helmed season four, is expected to return for the new season. HBO announced earlier this year that season five will be set in Jamaica Bay, New York, and that the series is expected to premiere in 2027.

Discussions with Cage have reportedly been ongoing since early summer, when sources first contacted HBO about the casting.

Cage has also experienced a resurgence in recent years, appearing in several acclaimed films such as Pig, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and Dream Scenario.

Comments (7)

JanWillemK • Monday 25 August, 22:49

OK... I'm not saying Nicolas Cage isn't a good actor, but come on. When I think of True Detective, I think of truly good actors. Give us an actor of the caliber James Spader, Claire Danes, or Billy Bob Thornton.

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Futsudo • Monday 25 August, 23:25

I get your point. But Nicolas Cage is an Oscar winner and has proven he can bring enormous depth (think Leaving Las Vegas or, more recently, Pig). The problem is that his career has been so erratic, which is why his name often conjures up associations with eccentric roles. Cage is indeed a gamble. It could turn out fantastic, or it could be completely out of place in the understated style of True Detective.

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BlackBiker • Tuesday 26 August, 12:18

Nick Cage is a fine actor. I don't really get the point. And that from someone who usually agrees with you :-)

See his recent roles in Longlegs, where he was truly unrecognizable, not only because of the makeup but also because of how he played the part. And The Surfer, another very different role.
It's true that he's often taken roles where he can really put on a show, but I think that's just because he enjoys it. And I usually enjoy it a lot too. But to then conclude that he's not a good actor? No, you really need to look further.

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Futsudo • Tuesday 26 August, 12:57

To address your "I don't really get the point": for me it's less about whether Cage can act well, but more about whether his image and style fit this specific series.

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JanWillemK • Tuesday 26 August, 14:51

Haha, and Blackbiker is allowed to do that :P Just like I think Pedro Pascal can never convince, if I remember correctly you think he is good.
I haven't seen all the films with Nicolas Cage in them, but in the films I have seen, I didn't think he was of a great quality.

Season 2 wasn't as good, but it still had Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn. I rate both of them higher than Nicolas Cage. But hey, that's just my opinion.

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BlackBiker • Tuesday 26 August, 17:02

Great discussion! And to quote Harry Callahan: "Well, opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2_AiQLCb3U) :-D

By the way, I can't really judge whether Cage would be a good fit for this particular series. I'm not familiar with the series; I've never seen it, so I can't comment on that.
What I do think, as a bit of a fanboy, is that he can handle more roles than many people think.
We'll see, and I look forward to reading in due course what you think of him in the role.

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BlackBiker • Tuesday 26 August, 16:58

mistake

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