A first look of Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale in the upcoming biopic Madden has dropped.
In a teaser — released by Amazon MGM Studios on Thursday, December 25 — Cage, 61, can be seen portraying the legendary coach and broadcasting star John Madden as Bale, 51, channels Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis. (The teaser debuted during the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs game on Thursday.)
“There is only one John Madden. They didn’t make another one. … Football wouldn’t be football without him,” Bale says at one point in the teaser, while Cage adds, “They have no idea where we are, who we are, where we’re coming from, or who we’re throwing to.”
Amazon MGM Studios previously shared via Instagram that the movie “follows Madden’s remarkable journey — from his Super Bowl-winning partnership with Al Davis and the Raiders, to creating Madden NFL, and becoming one of the most iconic voices in football history.”
Several stars took things to the next level when transforming into their roles for 2024’s biggest films. Cynthia Erivo spent several hours being painted green to play Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West, in Wicked. “It would take about two hours and 45 minutes to four hours depending on how much we were […]
Rounding out the cast is John Mulaney (portraying Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins), Kathryn Hahn (playing Virginia Madden), Sienna Miller (Carol Davis) and comedian Shane Gillis (unspecified).
The film’s teaser comes four years after Madden died at age 85. His death was confirmed by the NFL, who paid tribute to him in a statement at the time.
“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to [his wife] Virginia, [their sons] Mike [and] Joe and their families,” commissioner Roger Goodell noted in a statement shared via X in 2021. “We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.”
Goodell continued, “Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”
Several sports stars went on to share their condolences.
“When you think NFL football, you think John Madden. RIP to a Legend,” former New England Patriots player Julian Edelman wrote via X, while LeBron James added, “Rest in Paradise To the Goat John Madden!!!! Your legacy will continue to live on Infinity!!!!!”
Two years later, Amazon MGM Studios announced the project. News broke of Cage’s casting in the film in 2024.
“Nicolas Cage, one of our greatest and most original actors, will portray the best of the American spirit of originality, fun, and determination in which anything is possible as beloved national legend John Madden,” director David O. Russell said in a statement, per Deadline.
The statement continued, “Together with the ferocious style, focus, and inspired individualism of Al Davis, owner of the underdog Oakland Raiders, the feature will be about the joy, humanity and genius that was John Madden in a wildly inventive, cool world of the 1970s.”
Madden is out on Thanksgiving 2026. There are no details about whether there will be a theatrical release.
