MARKETREALIST.COM / NET WORTH

Nicolas Cage Mismanaged Earnings Affecting His Net Worth Massively: His Career, Wealth

"National Treasure" stands out as one of his highest-grossing movies. Produced at a budget of $100 million it grossed over $347,512,318 worldwide.

BY VALLARI VAIDYA

PUBLISHED AUG 15, 2023

Cover Image Source: Rich Fury/Getty Images

Hollywood star Nicolas Cage stands out as an exceptional action hero with remarkable movies like "Con Air", "Face/Off" and the "National Treasure" series. As an actor, director, and producer, Cage has attained multiple honors which include an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award. For the past three decades, Nicolas Cage has continued to entertain and engage fans with his diversified roles and movies.

What is Nicolas Cage's net worth?

Nicolas Cage, the American actor, has an estimated net worth of $25 million as per Celebrity Net Worth. Previously, his net worth was significantly higher, surpassing $100 million, primarily due to his substantial earnings of over $200 million from movie roles. Despite his status as one of Hollywood's top-earning celebrities, Nick's lavish expenditures are now well-known, with his financial troubles stemming from unpaid taxes and ill-fated real estate ventures.

Image Source: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Acting highlights

Cage's film career began with "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" in 1982. He worked consistently in the '80s and early '90s, starring in hits like "Valley Girl," "Raising Arizona," "Peggy Sue Got Married," "Honeymoon in Vegas," "Face/Off," "Con Air," "Gone in Sixty Seconds," "The Rock," and "The Family Man." These are just a few examples from his 70+ film credits.

"National Treasure" (2004) stands out as one of his highest-grossing movies. Produced at a budget of $100 million the movie grossed over $347,512,318 worldwide. While his big-budget action films prospered, his smaller works often struggled at the box office. In 2006, his remake of "Wicker Man" failed to recover its $40 million budget and received harsh reviews.

Cage researched "The Wrestler" role in 2007 but withdrew. Mickey Rourke got an Oscar nod. He starred in the acclaimed "The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" (2009) and succeeded with "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" (2012), earning $585 million. In 2018, Cage impressed in "Mandy" but missed the Oscars due to timing. He led "Color Out of Space," Richard Stanley's 2018 comeback.

In 2023, Cage made a cameo appearance in "The Flash", wearing the Superman cape as an alternate rendition of the iconic superhero.

Lifestyle, wealth, and extravagant spending

Between 1996 and 2011, Cage earned over $150 million from acting, with hefty paychecks like $16 million for "Snake Eyes", $20 million for "Gone in Sixty Seconds", "Windtalkers, and National Treasure". As his income grew, so did his extravagant spending. From 2000 to 2007, he splurged on 15 homes (including TWO castles), a $7 million Bahamas island, four yachts, luxury cars, a $30 million private jet, art, jewels, and a 67 million-year-old dinosaur skull according to Parade.

In 2009, the IRS filed a tax lien on Cage's New Orleans property, claiming $6.2 million in unpaid taxes. He then sued his manager for $20 million, citing negligence and fraud. By 2022, Cage had settled his debts and aimed for more selective film roles after previously accepting numerous projects for financial reasons.

Awards and recognition

Nicolas Cage's achievements include winning the Academy Awards for Best Actor in 1996 for "Leaving Las Vegas" and receiving a Golden Globe that same year. He was nominated for his role as screenwriter Charlie Kaufman in "Adaptation" (2002) and has also garnered nominations for Screen Actors Guild Awards and BAFTA. Cage secured the Toronto Film Critics Association Award for "Adaptation" and received the Creative Coalition Spotlight Initiative Award for "Color Out of Space" (2018) at the Toronto International Film Festival. He earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998 and was honored with an honorary doctorate in fine arts from California State University in 2001.

Image Source: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

How much does Nicolas Cage earn from movies?

During his heyday, Nicolas Cage used to charge as much as $20 million per movie. For many years now, Cage has moved to Indie movies and gets about $4 million upfront for an Indie film these days, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Also, if he really likes a project and the budget is tight, he is willing to take charge less, said a source to the outlet.

Philanthropy

Cage donated $2 million to Amnesty International for children affected by conflicts, and another million for Hurricane Katrina victims, and supports ArtWorks' workplace rights mission. The United Nations honored him with a Humanitarian Award.

How much did Nicolas Cage spend on the LaLaurie Mansion?

Nicolas Cage bought the LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans, famous for its alleged hauntings, for $3.4 million in 2007. However, he lost the property to foreclosure in late 2009.