Nicolas Cage Roasts Marvel Movies as a ‘Glorified WWE’ With ’50-Plus’ Actors in ‘Ridiculous Outfits’

Nicolas Cage isn’t a fan of the direction that comic books movies have gone, jabbing that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a “well-funded and glorified WWE” filled with “otherwise intelligent, remarkably gifted thespians.” The star, a vocal comic book fan, was asked about the decades-long industry wave of superhero movies onstage at Fan Expo Dallas on Saturday. “It started out, in my view, terrific. Some of the early stories where Marvel is — the way that they wove all the threads together and told a different character’s stories and backstories,” Cage said. “But lately — I do say this with love — when I see these 50-plus, otherwise intelligent, remarkably gifted thespians putting on these ridiculous outfits and getting ready for the fight … it’s hard for me not to be reminded that the MCU is becoming a well-funded and glorified WWE.” The remark drew laughs from the crowd. Cage went on to distinguish his recent Marvel adaptation, Prime Video’s “Spider-Noir” series, as having different interests than the usual superhero fare. “One of the things I like about ‘Spider-Noir,’ it wasn’t cutting to the fight. It was a detective story. There was a mystery there,” Cage continued. “I would like to see it get back to telling the stories and not just cutting to the wrestling match.” Along with playing a noir-detective variant of Spider-Man in “Spider-Noir,” Cage has also starred in comic book adaptations like two “Ghost Rider “films, “Kick-Ass” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” In 2005, he named his son Kal-El, the same name as Superman in DC Comics. Cage will next be seen as John Madden in Prime Video’s “Madden,” a biopic of the NFL figure directed by David O. Russell releasing in November.