Movies

Nicolas Cage Reflects on the Intentional Comedy of ‘The Wicker Man’ Remake

Published

2 years ago

March 25, 2022

One of the most meme-worthy roles in a career loaded with meme-worthy roles, Nicolas Cage starred in The Wicker Man back in 2006, a new take on the folk horror classic from 1973. Fans frequently poke fun at the film with memes as well as humorous clips and screen-grabs, notably including Cage screaming about bees and running around in a bear suit.

So was The Wicker Man 2006 intended to be funny, or was the film’s particular brand of humor entirely accidental? Cage clears the air in a new chat with Indiewire this week.

Cage reflects, “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.”

“[Director] Neil [LaBute] and I both knew how funny it was,” Cage continues. “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.”

Cage adds, “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.” Aster’s Midsommar indeed ends with one of the main characters being burned alive in a bear suit, in line with Cage’s own personal vision for the finale of The Wicker Man 2006. Alas, the producers on the film just didn’t go for it.

So there you have it. The Wicker Man 2006 was very much *intentionally* comedic in nature, with Cage and director LaBute – if no one else – leaning into the absurdity of it all.

If only Cage had been rocking a handlebar mustache in the film. Sigh…

Related Topics:Nicolas Cage The Wicker Man

John Squires

Writer in the horror community since 2008. Editor in Chief of Bloody Disgusting. Owns Eli Roth's prop corpse from Piranha 3D. Has four awesome cats. Still plays with toys.

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Movies

‘Monster’ – Indonesian Remake of ‘The Boy Behind the Door’ Heading to Netflix

Published

10 mins ago

April 24, 2024

Meagan Navarro

An Indonesian remake of Justin Powell and David Charbonier’s intense 2021 thriller The Boy Behind the Door, titled Monster, is on its way. Netflix has unveiled images from the twisted thriller ahead of its debut on the streaming service.

In Monster, “After being abducted and taken to a desolate house, a girl sets out to rescue her friend and escape from their malicious kidnapper.”

As of now, Netflix hasn’t set an official date for Monster, only that it’s coming soon.

Monster is directed by Rako Prijanto and written by Alim Sudio. It stars Sultan Hamonangan, Anantya Kirana, Alex Abbad, and Marsha Timothy.

The Boy Behind the Door follows twelve-year-old Bobby and his best friend, Kevin, as they’re abducted from a park. Bobby wakes alone in a trunk and escapes, only to return when he realizes his best friend is still held captive inside a desolate house.

The Indonesian remake gender swaps the ill-fated kids embarking on a harrowing cat-and-mouse chase to escape, but, according to an interview with Kapanlagi, Monster also updates the original story by making one of the main characters mute. Meaning, expect very little dialogue in this update. The change will likely make the horror-thriller even more suspenseful, which is saying a lot considering how intense The Boy Behind the Door is.

I wrote in my review of The Boy Behind the Door that “it gives a unique and intense spin on the home invasion. The constant ratcheting of tension leaves you alternating between edge-of-your-seat panic and cringe-worthy repulsion; this thriller isn’t afraid to put its children through absolute hell.”

Check out new images from Monster below, as well as a tense trailer from the film’s premiere at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival last November.

Stay tuned for an official release date as it’s announced, but expect this to arrive on Netflix soon.

Scary woman in Monster