Nicolas Cage says Marvel Cinematic Universe is just ‘glorified WWE’, laments ‘gifted’ 50-year-old actors ‘putting on ridiculous outfits’

Nicolas Cage has compared the Marvel Cinematic Universe to 'well-funded and glorified WWE' just days after his Marvel show Spider-Noir was cancelled.

Updated on: Oct 2, 2026, 08:37:19 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

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Nicolas Cage does not mince his words. The Hollywood star has criticised the current direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), saying the franchise has moved away from the character-driven storytelling and now resembles a "well-funded and glorified WWE". The actor's comments, incidentally, come days after his own superhero show, Spider-Noir, was cancelled after just one season.

Nicolas Cage, who recently played Spider-Noir, has slammed Marvel films. (AP)

Nicolas Cage criticises MCU

The 62-year-old actor made the comments during a conversation at Fan Expo Dallas, where he said he initially admired the way Marvel connected different characters and their backstories.

"It started out, in my view, terrific. Some of the early stories were marvellous, the way that they wove all the threads together and told the different character stories and backstories," the actor said.

However, he then added that the franchise has since moved to focus only on large-scale action and battle sequences, which has changed his view of the films. “I do say this with love; When I see these 50-plus and otherwise intelligent and remarkably gifted thespians putting on these ridiculous outfits and getting ready for the fight -- let's face it, it's all cutting to the fight -- it's hard for me not to be reminded that the MCU is becoming a well-funded and glorified WWE,” the Oscar-winning actor said.

About the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The highest-grossing film franchise in the world, the MCU started with Iron Man in 2008, before introducing Hulk, Thor, and Captain America in standalone films. Eventually, the franchise brought them together, along with Black Widow and Hawkeye, in The Avengers in 2012 - the franchise's first billion-dollar grosser.

The MCU has since expanded into a large interconnected franchise spanning films and television series, amassing over $34 billion at the box office. But the franchise has received criticism for the quality of its films post Avengers: Endgame in 2019. The franchise is hoping to see a return to its glory days with the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, which releases in December.

Nicolas Cage's tryst with superhero films

Nicolas Cage is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he recently starred as the title character in Sony's Marvel series Spider-Noir, which was cancelled after its eight-episode first season. He eaerlier played Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider (2007) and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012).

The Ghost Rider character, originally from Marvel Comics, is now being revived for the MCU, with Ryan Gosling set to play the title character in Marvel Studios' upcoming Ghost Rider, directed by Shawn Levy. The film is scheduled for release on July 28, 2028.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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