Veteran Hollywood star Nicolas Cage recently opened up about his preference between playing heroes and villains. The Oscar-winning actor is starring as Spider-Noir in the upcoming Prime Video show, a role that he already voiced in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Nicolas Cage on if he likes playing heroes or villains more

Nicolas Cage is all set to star in the live-action adaptation of Spider-Noir. The Oscar winner previously played the role in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

During the premiere of the new Amazon MGM Studios series at Regal Times Square in New York City on May 13, 2026, Nicolas Cage was asked a question by PEOPLE. The actor was asked whether he preferred playing heroes or villains.

“Villain? I’ve played plenty of villains. I like both. I think they’re both important parts of cinema,” Cage explained, “I would not want to get trapped into doing one thing,” stating how he does not want to get stuck in a single mould.

Cage also revealed how he had talked to director Sam Raimi about playing Green Goblin in the early 2000s. However, at the time, he decided to star in Charlie Kaufman’s Adaptation instead. This he did as he felt that it “was the right choice at the time.”

“I decided to do another movie, a much smaller noir of sorts, more romantic than tragic noir,” Cage elaborated about Adaptation, which got him nominated for the Academy Award, “But I remember saying to Sam, ‘I hope whoever you cast [as Spider-Man] really embraces the arachnid body language, at least for one moment. Alone in his apartment, he’s crawling on the ceiling or something.”

The role of Green Goblin ultimately went to Willem Dafoe, who earned great critical acclaim with the part.

Cage, however, did star in Marvel years later. He became Marvel’s Ghost Rider. And now, the actor is once again back in the Marvel universe (not MCU) as Spider-Noir.

Spider-Noir premiered on May 25, 2026, on MGM+ in the United States and will premiere globally on Prime Video on May 27, 2026.