10 Great Nicolas Cage Movies You Can Stream Right Now

Few actors use their instruments as intensely as Nicolas Cage. From his earliest onscreen appearances in films like 1983's Valley Girl and 1987’s Moonstruck, Cage has been an uninhibited presence in cinema. Sometimes his choices are irreverent, as in 1997's Face/Off and his manic Castor Troy. Others, like 1995’s Leaving Las Vegas, have earned him critical acclaim (and even a Best Actor Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas).

If you’re in the mood to see Cage commit wholeheartedly to a role, check out these 10 films currently streaming.

1. Leaving La Vegas (1996)

Cage won an Academy Award for his portrayal of alcoholic Ben Sanderson, who retreats to Vegas in order to fulfill his self-imposed destiny of self-destruction. There, he meets Sera (Elisabeth Shue), who tries to steer him in another direction. The film was shot in just 28 days.

Watch It: Amazon Prime

2. Lord of War (2005)

Cage stars as a weapons dealer in this sharp takedown of the military industry. As (somewhat) of a testament to the weapons trade, director Andrew Niccol said it was easier to purchase real guns for the film than fake ones.

Watch It: HBO Max

3. Pig (2021)

Cage turns in one of his most acclaimed performances as a onetime star chef in Portland who retreats to the Oregon wilderness. When his beloved truffle pig is stolen, he returns to the world he left behind. Cage has said he stepped into Portland eateries while in his blood-caked costume and no one uttered a word about it.

Watch It: Hulu

4. The Frozen Ground (2013)

Cage plays it (relatively) straight as an Alaska state trooper tasked with hunting down serial killer Robert Hansen (John Cusack) in the frozen tundra in this fact-based thriller. The real Hansen (who died in prison in 2014) displayed some alarming behavior early on: At age 21, he burned down a school bus garage after reportedly being turned down for dates in high school.

Watch It: Paramount+

5. Willy’s Wonderland (2021)

Cage gets into a faux Five Nights at Freddy’s situation in this low-budget effort. As an unnamed and nonverbal drifter, Cage agrees to spend the night cleaning up a dilapidated Chuck E. Cheese-type restaurant—right around the same time the animatronics turn homicidal. To survive, Cage needs to defend himself against the likes of Willy the Weasel and Ozzy the Ostrich. (Writer G.O. Parsons originally scripted one line for Cage’s character during the climactic battle: “Come at me, bro.” Cage declined to say it.)

Watch It: Hulu

6. Face/Off (1997)

Cage and John Travolta star in this operatic action thriller about a cop and con who wind up trading faces, a sci-fi twist that deepens their rivalry. Director John Woo has said that despite the artillery on display in his films, he's never fired a gun in his life.

Watch It: Amazon Prime

7. Adaptation (2002)

Cage plays dual roles in this typically weird Charlie Kaufman story about a screenwriter looking to adapt Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief (a real book) but tripped up by anxiety and his twin brother. Orlean was initially opposed to the pseudo-adaptation of her book but later warmed to it. She's played in the film by Meryl Streep.

Watch It: Hulu

8. National Treasure (2004)

Cage takes a family-friendly turn as Benjamin Franklin Gates, who discovers a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence, which leads to a vast fortune accumulated by Freemasons. Director Jon Turteltaub and Cage go back ages: The two were high school classmates at Beverly Hills High. The 2007 sequel, National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets, is also streaming on Disney+.

Watch It: Disney+

9. Drive Angry (2011)

Cage gets into the revenge genre with this actioner about a man who literally escapes Hell to avenge the death of his daughter. The film was originally released in 3D.

Watch It: Hulu

10. Kick-Ass (2010)

Cage co-stars in this adaptation of the Mark Millar comic as Big Daddy, who mentors daughter Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) in the superhero life. Cage has said he modeled the character's voice after Adam West's portrayal of Batman in the 1960s television series.

Watch It: HBO Max

A version of this story ran in 2021; it has been updated for 2022.