Nicolas Cage Is Unrecognizable After Transforming Into NFL Legend John Madden

Nicolas Cage is on a bit of a hot streak at the moment, getting meta in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" and haunting our dreams in different ways in "Dream Scenario" and "Longlegs." Cage has expressed an interest in stepping away from acting in the future, but that's clearly not happening anytime soon, as he's set to appear in the new sports biopic "Madden," playing the titular John Madden. Now, we have our first look at how Cage will embody the coach and announcer, and it's the kind of thing to make you do a double-take.

Deadline debuted the first look of Cage as Madden, wearing a Raiders jacket while holding a football and showing off a Super Bowl ring. Next to him is the even more unrecognizable Christian Bale as Al Davis, the former owner of the Raiders. The Daily Mail revealed another image showing Cage in character that shows off more of his full body, and it does appear that he's wearing a fat suit to portray an older Madden.

Cage spoke with The San Francisco Chronicle about taking on the massive responsibility of portraying such a legendary sports figure as Madden. "I've never been in a sports movie of this magnitude, and I've certainly never played anyone like John Madden," he said of the role. "I can't think of a character that's further removed from me than Madden, so that is certainly challenging." By the sound of things, when "Madden" eventually comes out, Cage may be unrecognizable in more ways than one. 

Nicolas Cage has taken on some truly outlandish roles over the years, from a hellborn superhero with a flaming skull for a head in "Ghost Rider" to a silent, animatronic-fighting janitor in "Willy's Wonderland." Portraying John Madden will certainly require him to be a bit more grounded than those parts, but fans already largely like the idea of what Cage should bring to the NFL icon. Posts of Cage as Madden have quickly populated X to largely positive reactions, including @adivraz, who wrote, "Nic Cage looks perfect as John Madden."

While Cage looks the part, many Redditors were curious as to how he'll sound. John Madden had a unique speaking style, often punctuating sentences with a "Boom!" or "Pow!" As Redditor u/Ordinary-Leather-262 said, "John Madden had such a unique and instantly recognizable way of speaking, can't wait to hear Nic Cage's version."

Others may need to see a trailer before deciding if Cage as Madden was the right call, especially since there's one man who basically built a career out of a John Madden impression. As U/IBelongHere noted, "They should have just hired Frank Caliendo." Caliendo made a name for himself on "MadTV," where he was known for his celebrity impressions, but none were as beloved as his Madden. But while Caliendo has proved that he can portray a hilarious version of Madden, the film will likely call for a bit more pathos. That's where Cage comes in.

It sounds like "Madden" will encompass many of the major accomplishments throughout John Madden's illustrious career. Amazon MGM Studios posted a brief synopsis of the film to Instagram, which states, "The film follows Madden's remarkable journey — from his Super Bowl-winning partnership with Al Davis and the Raiders to creating Madden NFL and becoming one of the most iconic voices in football history." That's a lot of ground to cover, from his career on the gridiron to his time as a commentator and video game icon, so there should be areas of interest for both sports fans and gamers.

The film will be directed by David O. Russell, who previously helmed "The Fighter," "Silver Linings Playbook," and "American Hustle." His last film, "Amsterdam," bombed at the box office and failed to impress critics, so "Madden" could be the Hail Mary play he needs. In addition to Cage and Bale, the movie also stars Sienna Miller and Kathryn Hahn as Carol Davis and Virginia Madden, respectively, the wives of Al Davis and John Madden. It also features John Mulaney as Trip Hawkins, the founder of Electronic Arts, which released the "Madden NFL" video games.

With an all-star cast and a story about the life of a legendary sports figure, "Madden," which does not yet have a release date, will be one to watch.