Nicolas Cage Grapples with 'The Wrestler'

Zap2It.com | October 12, 2007

Nicolas Cage

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Darren Aronofsky is developing the project and may or may not direct

Oscar winner Nicolas Cage is in talks to star in "The Wrestler."

The '80s period film was written by Robert Siegel and focuses on a former wrestling star named Randy "The Ram" Robinson. Down on his luck already, Robinson suffers a heart attack and is told he can never wrestle again or he'll die. Even his new life -- working at a deli, living with an aging stripper and her son -- can't sway him from a rematch with his old nemesis the Ayatollah, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sounds like commercial stuff to us.

The indie project is set up through Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures, though it isn't necessarily being set up as a directing vehicle for the "Requiem for a Dream" and "The Fountain" filmmaker.

In the past year, Cage has had successes with "World Trade Center" and "Ghost Rider," while finding less lucre with "The Wicker Man" and "Next." The actor will next be seen in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," with "Bangkok Dangerous" also in the can.