While Nicolas Cage has been gaining more notoriety in recent years for his crazy, over-the-top performances, it’s not exactly a new territory for the actor. In fact, in his decades-long career, he’s made a variety of films that have become iconic for illustrating his unique acting abilities. One such example is the 2006 film The Wicker Man, a remake of the 1973 film of the same name. Unlike that film, however, which is often considered a classic tale of folklore horror – the 2006 film remains an enigma. While some have learned to appreciate it as a cult classic, others are confused with its tonal inconsistencies that bounce from horror to over-the-top comedy. Now, according to star Nicolas Cage, The Wicker Man was indeed intended as a comedy.
He revealed as much while speaking with IndieWire, and tried to clarify that the comedic elements in The Wicker Man were all intentional. This might surprise those who think the film just ended up that way. But Nicolas Cage insists that the comedy perceived in The Wicker Man was all intended from the start.
As he stated:
“I know people had fun with that even if they thought the comedy was not intentional. I’m going on record right now: That is not a fact.”
He continued, explaining that director Neil LaBute was also aware of the comedic elements.
“[Director] Neil [LaBute] and I both knew how funny it was,” Cage noted. “It probably would’ve been more clear how funny it was if [producer] Avi Lerner let me have the handlebar mustache that I wanted to wear and be burned in the bear suit. That would’ve been so horrifying, but they didn’t go for that because all the comedy would’ve emerged from this horror.”
Nicolas Cage further emphasized the difference between a more recent film inspired by The Wicker Man, Ari Aster’s film Midsommar:
“But Ari Aster did it brilliantly in Midsommar. That was terrifying, but they didn’t have the vision that Neil and I had for it.”
With this information, Nicolas Cage settles the debate that’s been going on between fans for years. Neil LaBute and Nicolas Cage truly set out to make The Wicker Man into a bizarre horror comedy – and for some fans, they succeeded.