New Madden Film Starring Nicolas Cage Begins Production
Production is underway for Madden, a new biopic about the late NFL Hall of Fame head coach John Madden, starring Nicolas Cage.
The upcoming picture, directed by David O. Russell, tells the story of the football icon and face of the Madden NFL video game franchise. A premiere date has yet to be announced, but filming has begun in Atlanta and will continue until July, according to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.
A trailer has yet to be released, but the producers did reveal some photos from the set, including one with Cage portraying the head coach and Christian Bale as general manager Al Davis. Both are dressed in complete 1970s attire while standing on a field, with Cage’s character donning a Raiders jacket.
Your first-look at Nicolas Cage as John Madden and Christian Bale as Al Davis on set of the upcoming film, Madden. Production is currently underway.
— Amazon MGM Studios (@AmazonMGMStudio) May 14, 2025
The film follows Madden’s remarkable journey—from his Super Bowl-winning partnership with Al Davis and the Raiders, to creating… pic.twitter.com/jmmF4uy8LR
According to a plot synopsis from Amazon MGM studios, the film will follow Madden “from his Super Bowl-winning partnership with fellow coach Al Davis and the Raiders to creating Madden NFL and becoming one of the most iconic voices in football history.”
In August 2024, the Ghost Rider actor was cast as Madden. “Nicolas Cage, one of our greatest and most original actors, will portray the best of the American spirit of originality, fun, and determination in which anything is possible as beloved national legend John Madden,” the Oscar-nominated director claimed in a statement.
He continued, “Together with the ferocious style, focus, and inspired individualism of Al Davis, owner of the underdog Oakland Raiders, the feature will be about the joy, humanity, and genius that was John Madden in a wildly inventive, cool world of the 1970s.”
The football film will also feature Kathryn Hahn (Madden’s wife, Virginia) and John Mulaney (Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins). Madden became the Raiders’ head coach in 1969 and helped the organization win its first Super Bowl in 1979. He then retired and became a commentator until 2009.
We will keep you updated as the film’s details unfold. For now, you can check out It’s in the Game: Madden NFL, a four-part documentary series on Prime Video.
