Nicolas Cage Becomes John Madden in First Teaser for Amazon MGM’s ‘Madden’
Amazon MGM Studios
David O. Russell’s long-gestating John Madden biopic finally surfaces — and Nicolas Cage’s transformation is as bold as expected.
Amazon MGM Studios has unveiled the first teaser trailer for Madden, the upcoming biopic chronicling the life of NFL legend, broadcasting icon, and video game namesake John Madden — with Nicolas Cage stepping into the role in a performance that immediately commands attention.
The brief teaser, which premiered during Prime Video’s Christmas night broadcast of the Denver Broncos–Kansas City Chiefs game, offers an early glimpse at Cage’s take on Madden: broad, intense, and unmistakably physical. In one standout line, Cage’s Madden declares, “They have no idea where we are, who we are, where we’re coming from, or who we’re throwing to,” setting the tone for a film that appears less interested in subtlety than in capturing the larger-than-life presence that defined its subject.
Directed and written by David O. Russell, Madden traces the football icon’s journey from his early coaching days to his Super Bowl–winning tenure as head coach of the Oakland Raiders, followed by his reinvention as one of the most recognizable voices in sports broadcasting. The film also charts Madden’s unlikely evolution into a pop culture fixture through the John Madden Football and Madden NFL video game franchises, which launched in the late 1980s and permanently linked his name to the sport.
Cage’s physical transformation is front and center in the teaser, with the actor adopting Madden’s famously boxy silhouette and animated presence. He’s joined by Christian Bale as Al Davis, the enigmatic and often combative Raiders owner whose relationship with Madden shaped a defining era of the franchise. Early footage suggests a volatile dynamic between the two — an element likely to anchor much of the film’s dramatic tension.
The supporting cast further rounds out the ensemble. John Mulaney plays Trip Hawkins, the tech entrepreneur behind Electronic Arts who helped usher Madden into gaming immortality. Kathryn Hahn appears as Virginia Madden, while Sienna Miller portrays Carol Davis. Together, the cast hints at a film that spans multiple phases of Madden’s life, from locker rooms and broadcast booths to boardrooms and living rooms.
Madden marks Russell’s return to prestige filmmaking following a quieter stretch in his career. Known for character-driven dramas like The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle, the director reportedly worked from an earlier script draft by Cambron Clark before reshaping the project into its current form.
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Amazon MGM Studios has set Madden for a Prime Video debut on Thanksgiving Day 2026, positioning it squarely in the holiday prestige corridor. No theatrical release plans have been announced, though the timing suggests awards-season ambitions — or at least a high-profile streaming rollout designed to draw broad, multi-generational audiences.
Watch The Trailer Below:
With its first teaser, Madden signals a biopic that embraces scale, personality, and spectacle over restraint — much like its subject. Whether Cage’s bold interpretation and Russell’s stylized approach can capture the complexity behind the icon remains to be seen, but one thing is already clear: this is not a quiet portrait. For better or worse, Madden is aiming to be as loud, uncompromising, and unforgettable as John Madden himself.
