Nicolas Cage has spent decades embracing glorious Hollywood mayhem. Face/Off became an operatic identity crisis. Now his latest transformation features an alarming amount of carbohydrates. For David O. Russell's Madden, Cage became football legend John Madden

The exuberant coach and commentator with stadium-sized charisma. The assignment required 25 extra pounds, a hefty prosthetic makeover, and some serious post-filming gym time.

His preparation involved a dinner menu worthy of an NFL penalty flag.

Apparently, the secret ingredient in a Hollywood transformation was hiding beside the garlic bread. At the November 4 premiere, Nicolas Cage told People that gaining 25 pounds began with a simple dietary detour.

“I just enjoyed my pasta and my sourdough bread.” His ordinary routine, he explained, generally consists of two protein shakes and a Caesar salad. 

But piling on the full weight through food was never the plan. At 62, Cage considered a 60-pound gain unsafe, so makeup artist Adrien Morot supplied another 30 pounds through prosthetics. Morot previously worked on Brendan Fraser's transformation in The Whale. Cage called their combined technique the sweet spot, delivering Madden's imposing silhouette without requiring an extreme physical change.

Getting back into his usual shape provided its own exhausting sequel. Cage said the weight did not disappear easily and that he still spends a couple of hours daily on an elliptical. The pasta montage had ended. The surprisingly demanding cardio boss fight had already begun.

From Haunted Mansions to Malibu Sinkholes: The Rollercoaster Real Estate Portfolio of Nicolas Cage

And Cage's next transformation swaps the football field for a wasteland where visitors face a decidedly deadly dinner invitation.

Thirty years after a nuclear apocalypse, Nicolas Cage's latest character has mastered survival through one wonderfully antisocial house rule: nobody gets through his gate. In Adam Sigal's Parish, the solitary survivor lives behind fortified walls with highly trained attack dogs. Then a woman carrying an infant begs for shelter.

His decision to help invites monstrous predators and cannibals toward the compound. Think a neighborhood watch meeting conducted at the end of civilization, with absolutely terrifying refreshments. Dane DeHaan and Alexandra Shipp co-star, while Don Worley has also announced his involvement. Cameras rolled near Stillwater, Minnesota, wrapping in late October, as scheduled.

The production employed local crews, giving the state's growing filmmaking industry a high-profile showcase. Sigal has suggested a summer or fall 2027 theatrical release, although no date is confirmed. Its tagline warns, “Some doors should never be opened.” With Cage inside, somebody is bound to test that theory.

“A Little Bit Homeless” – Nicolas Cage Reveals How Massive Sinkhole Changed His Halloween Plans

Would you watch Cage's football transformation or his canine-powered survival thriller first? Let us know in the comments.