Nicolas Cage Is Going to Catch That Murderer John Cusack

Be honest: You still love Nicolas Cage. We do too. And we don't mean "love" in that ironic, train-wreck sort of way. We love the guy who was so great (in very different ways) in "Raising Arizona" and "Leaving Las Vegas" and "The Rock" and "Adaptation." We know there's still good in him. That's why we're rooting for his comeback, which has seemed much more likely in the last week.

On Friday, it was revealed he'd be in the new Charlie Kaufman film, and overnight came word that he's circling a project with John Cusack, his "Con Air" co-star. What we're happiest about with the latter is that he's not playing the character we thought he would.

Deadline reports that the two actors "are in talks" to star in "The Frozen Ground." The movie will be written and directed by a newcomer, Scott Walker, who (according to Deadline) doesn't even have an agent or manager yet. Here's the plotline with the actors' names removed. Fun game: Who do you think is playing each character?

Pic is based on true events surrounding Alaska's most notorious serial predator, Robert Hansen. [Redacted] is in talks to play a respected family man who for over 12 years abducted more than 24 women and flew them into the Alaskan wilderness to be hunted. [Redacted] is in talks to play a principled and dedicated Alaskan State Trooper who finds Hansen's only surviving teen victim alive on the street. The trooper and the young girl finally bring Hansen to justice.

Maybe it's just us, but we assumed Cage would play the bad guy. But, nope, he's going to be the trooper; Cusack is going to be the Hansen character. That's a nice bit of against-type casting for both actors, which we really like. And for Cage, it'll give him a chance to play a hero, a good guy, a not-crazy person. He needs that. We fans do too.

Nicolas Cage, John Cusack In Talks For 'The Frozen Ground' [Deadline]