'Magnum P.I.' to Finally Settle for Nicolas Cage?

by Erik Davis Sep 4th 2007 // 10:02AM

We're not keen on picking up British rumors, but this latest one wouldn't surprise me in the least. According to IGN (via sources like The Daily Express and Star Magazine), none other than Nicolas Cage might be the current frontrunner for the lead role in that long-planned Magnum P.I. film. This one has been circling actors for awhile now, with folks like Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey and George Clooney rumored to be in talks at one point or another. The Daily Express claims that the film sort of fell apart 18 months ago when both Clooney and Ricky Gervais (who was slated to play Magnum's Brit sidekick Higgins) rejected the film as if it were a cute girl at a bar that's had way too many drinks.

If Cage does sign on -- apart from pissing off fans of the original television show starring Tom Selleck -- producers will then look to cast the role of Higgins right away with an eye on a 2009 release. IGN alludes to the notion that folks could be looking to sign its cast and rush into production for fear that a strike might destroy Hollywood and all mankind in the near future. The Daily Express cites that Cage "likes the mix of comedy and crime-solving in the script." Gee, ya think -- that one line practically describes every movie he's in to begin with; why wouldn't he be keen to do it? I just hope they don't make the guy grow a really outlandish mustache. Hey, I liked the way it looked in Raising Arizona, but something tells me the guy can't pull it off anymore. So far the only one signed on to the big-screen Magnum P.I. flick is director Rawson Marshall Thurber, who previously helmed the comedy Dodgeball and is gearing up to release his follow-up flick, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.

15 Comments

Tags: ben affleck, cinematical, film, george clooney, magnum p.i., matthew mcconaughey, movies, nicolas cage, NicolasCage, ricky gervais, tom selleck

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-04-2007 @ 10:28AM

KMF said...

I'd read this rumour about a week ago when it was just sort of saying it could be a chance that Cage was interested. Ugh, what are they thinking? Do they hate Magnum?!

What is wrong with Selleck doing the roll again? Other people have noted that Bruce Willis and Harrison Ford are up there in age and reprising their old roles, so why can't Selleck? I'm fairly young, I was a kid when Magnum was on the air, but I can't imagine anyone else in the role. Especially Cage. He's got no machismo.

All that said, do we really need a big screen Magnum P.I.?

9-04-2007 @ 10:52AM

Chuck said...

Ditto on Tom Selleck doing the film- I never miss his tv movies and may even re-look at Vegas with him coming aboard.
Anyone else will have a hell of an uphill fight to capture the Magnum character -with hundreds of shows, Selleck established a visual shorthand with his audience that no one can match in the length of a feature film.

9-04-2007 @ 11:36AM

Ronan said...

Magnum is Selleck.
Offering the role to anybody else just doesn't make sense.

9-04-2007 @ 12:26PM

Gina said...

Add me to the list of naysayers. This is not going to work. I don't think it's possible for Selleck to be replaced in the role, but even if it were, Cage would not be the one to do it. He has none of the qualities that made Selleck a perfect fit.

9-04-2007 @ 4:24PM

brooke said...

Nicolas Cage? He would be a horrible Magnum. Have they seen the show at all?? Tom Selleck in the role had tons of charisma, charm, macho good-looks. He was a man's man. Cage is just yucky in my opinion. Besides, Tom even looks better as he ages. What a hottie!

9-05-2007 @ 8:51AM

Ras Thavas said...

Noooooooooooooooooooo.

9-05-2007 @ 9:10AM

khia213 said...

Isn't Magnum supposed to be sexy? Nick Cage? Not so much...

9-06-2007 @ 8:42PM

Alice said...

Nic is having a rather severe midlife crisis. It's unfortunate that we all have to suffer through it with him.

9-08-2007 @ 3:41PM

kevin said...

Poor choice, and again the overwhelming response on any web site is negative about new actors. MPI was thoughtful and dealt with an important issue of American soldiers returning from Vietnam. These guys weren't screwed up either ala Rambo, but still had to deal with their own personal demons. The show was not cheesy like other easy remakes such as Charleis Angels, the Dukes of Hazzard, or the Brady Bunch. A good analogy would be the Star Trek movies in which the original cast did a great job reprising their roles and staying true to the ideal and thoughtfulness of the original idea behind the series itself. Get with it Hollywood!!!

9-08-2007 @ 9:02PM

donny said...

Not to make matters worse...but what if Nik Cage brings his Next hair with him?

Other than Tom, my choice would be Ryan Reynolds. But movie producers aren't listening to me for some reason.

9-09-2007 @ 9:36PM

Eric Firkel said...

I love Magnum PI, but I just don't think it's time for a movie remake. "Magnum" was fun, but its underlying and recurring themes were very serious, dealing with Magnum, Rick, TC, and to an extent even Higgins's trying to return to normal life and escape the horrors of war they left behind in Vietnam (various British expeditions for Higgins).

Regardless of your politics, thousands of Americans are going to be returning from an increasinly unpopular war over the next 2 years. A campy comedy brought to us by the director of Dodgeball is just an insult to Tom, Bellasario, everyone invovled with "Magnum" and especially the fans.

As for a serious reprisal of Magnum, now is just not the time. The original Magnum debuted about 5 years after the last troops returned from Vietnam. Would this movie be set in the 1980's? If so, they'd just make it a joke. Would they be veterans of the first Persian Gulf War? It's hard to compare Vietnam with Gulf War 1....

Sadly, and hopefully it's not the case, but by 2013 we may very well be in a similar position to 1980; and there may be a niche for a magnum-like movie, but now is just not the time.

----

Tom Selleck will always be Magnum, but donny, Ryan Reynolds might not be a bad choice... he's got the looks and he'll be fine with the humor, I just don't know about the serious aspects of the character.

9-19-2007 @ 2:49AM

John Willaford said...

This is crazy.
Magnum should be Kevin Sorbo, hands down.
TC can be Ice Cube
Rick can be alot of people. Ted McGinly or Freddie Prince JR.
Higgins can easily and intelligently be played by Rowan Atkinson

9-20-2007 @ 2:51PM

Joe Blow said...

Remember, though, the overwhelming majority of people that go to see movies are not those of us old enough to remember the show or even know what it is/was. They're doing this for those people who were born or recently born when the TV show ended 20 years ago.

It is QUITE unfortunate. I mirror all of your sentiments. There is no other Magnum, TC, Rick, or Higgy Baby. They're all still alive and in relatively good health. Star Trek had the benefit of being a cult classic, so everyone knew the characters on site and by name. Magnum, as wonderful as the show was, doesn't have that recognition anymore. Still, it WOULD be awesome to see them pull it off. Hell, I'd be good with a made for TV movie!

10-12-2007 @ 11:59PM

tony said...

I agree with all of you. Tom Selleck "IS" Magnum PI.

11-05-2007 @ 3:00AM

andi said...

Wrong choice. Tom Selleck with the original cast, a good storyline and some notable co-stars would be great. This movie would have a built in audience that would go see it. This coupled with the new co-stars could bring in a fresh new audience making a profitable venture. If someone else stars other than Selleck and co., the original audience boycotts just out of principle.