In general, I’m all in on Nicolas Cage’s signature brand of weirdness. He might be playing a criminal who wears John Travolta’s face. He may be playing a fictionalized version of himself who gets hired for an eccentric billionaire’s birthday party. Or he might be playing Dracula, himself. Whatever the choice, I’m usually ready for whatever madness Cage has conjured. Only, Longlegs might be too intense. Even with the incredible early reviews – the movie hit 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and is still perfect as of this article dropping – the final look at the serial-killer thriller has me squirming in my well-lit office. And also, the first look at Cage’s transformation is horrifying.
Here’s the final trailer for the highly anticipated Longlegs:
Without question, Longlegs gives off intense Silence of the Lambs vibes, with a female FBI agent tracking an elusive serial killer, encountering examples of the occult along the way. To that end, maybe mix in some True Detective Season 1, or a dash of Mare of Easttown, with Kate Winslet in the lead. Only, the killer that FBI Agent Maika Monroe is hunting will be played by Nicolas Cage, and despite the producers’ claims that they would hide the actor’s complete transformation until the movie actually was in theaters, we get samples of Cage’s look, and his voice, in the final trailer.
They were, however, blink-and-you-miss-them moments. Like, this is Nicolas Cage behind the wheel of a car, screaming:
And I have confirmation that the trailer ends on Nicolas Cage doing God knows what to a doll. I’m beyond creeped out by this transformation. I don’t know if I want to know more about the person that Cage is playing, a serial killer who only signs his letters as “Longlegs.” Something tells me I’m better off not knowing.
Longlegs director Osgood Perkins is coming off of Gretel & Hansel, a 2020 YA horror movie that received high marks for its visuals and numerous strikes for its storytelling. But Longlegs, so far, has only received universal praise, setting it up for what could be an impressive theatrical debut in July. As one of a handful of upcoming horror movies that CinemaBlend editors have circled on the calendar, Longlegs should add another check to Cage’s bizarre resume. Not as bizarre as the CGI Superman that he played in The Flash. But still pretty weird.
Look for Longlegs in theaters beginning on July 12.