When it comes to bizarre and unpredictable career choices, nobody has the market cornered quite like Nicolas Cage. But his latest project might just be his weirdest yet – and yes, we’re including combustible ghost-skeletons, father-daughter vigilante duos and angry drivers on that list. In the upcoming Left Behind, Cage plays Rayford Steele, a pilot who must find answers after half of the passengers on his plane disappear in the Rapture. The film, which also stars One Tree Hill‘s Chad Michael Murray and American Idol‘s Jordin Sparks, is based on a series of popular Christian apocalypse novels, which were previously made into a direct-to-DVD movie starring Kirk Cameron.
It makes perfect sense that the producers of Left Behind would want Cage to star in their film – partly because it will attract a wider audience, but mostly because he stares down the apocalypse on a regular basis – but that’s about the only thing that makes sense in the first trailer for the film. We’ve rounded up all of the weirdest, most baffling moments in the trailer in order to attempt to make sense of not only Left Behind, but also the mysterious mind of Cage himself. Until those secrets are revealed, we can only assume that production met his requirements of serving hot lunch daily.
Someone Let Nicolas Cage Fly a Plane (0:06)
Would you be willing to put your life and vacation plans in his hands? We didn’t think so.
A Large Sign Instructs Viewers to ‘Pray’ (0:13)
Because making through this movie in one piece will only be possible through an act of God.
The Plane Is Tossed Around in a Storm (0:32)
Surely the storm would realize who’s piloting that plane and change course before Cage unleashes his fury upon it. If anyone could figure out how to physically beat back lightning, it’s the guy who made Season of the Witch.
Chad Michael Murray Is Filming the Empty Seats (0:36)
Yes, we’re curious as to why those people suddenly vanished, but we’re more confused as to why he thinks he’ll be able to find answers more effectively than a man who once stole the Declaration of Independence.
Nicolas Cage’s Face Doesn’t Move… (0:38)
Yet he still manages to convey confusion, distress and authority in that oddly blank stare.
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Someone’s Screaming About God, and It’s Not Nicolas Cage (0:46)
Sorry, pretty blonde girl, but Nicolas Cage is the only person who can scream to the heavens and actually receive a reply. He’s the only person God truly fears.
Nicolas Cage’s Face Still Isn’t Moving (0:52)
We can only assume that he’s making so many films at the same time that he’s started sending wax figures of himself to set in order to fill in for him on reaction shots and close-ups. Luckily, he chose an appropriately menacing one for this film.
Nicolas Cage Whispers About Important Life Philosophies (0:53 – 0:56)
Does his advice make any sense? Not really. Should we all take his words to heart anyway, and change the way we choose to live our lives? Definitely.
Someone’s Running From an Explosion, and It’s Not Nicolas Cage (0:58)
If a bomb goes off, but he’s is otherwise occupied (in this case, crying into a cell phone he shouldn’t be using on a plane), does it really explode?
This Movie Is Being Released in Theaters (1:00)
We’d blame all the people who went to see God’s Not Dead and Heaven Is For Real, but if those movies weren’t a success, we’d all be robbed of the experience of watching Nicolas Cage face off against God in an action movie. It is truly a showdown for the ages.
Left Behind opens in theaters on October 3.
