Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale look completely different after their dramatic transformations for the Madden trailer.
We've grown accustomed to Christian Bale going through an incredible physical makeover for a film by this point. Nor preferably a cosmetic one, as the English actor acknowledges that the years' worth of weight growth and loss have had an impact.
However, Bale spent a lot of time in the makeup chair with Nicole Cage, who portrayed the titular coaching and broadcasting great John Madden, for the upcoming biopic Madden, in which he plays fiery Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis.
The performers' makeovers are evident in the first official teaser, which was released on Christmas. For his role as Davis, Bales' hairline is fully recessed, while Cage is gaining weight to portray the plump Madden, whose love of food and drink was only surpassed by his passion for football and his hunger for victory.
Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 19 (Feb 9 – May 2, 2026): big discounts for early bird.
Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations.
Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and co-invest in great global startups.
Register for Tekedia AI Lab: From Technical Design to Deployment (next edition begins Jan 24 2026).
You can be confident that Cage has given the job his all, based on the teaser.
Reuniting Bale with American Hustle director David O. Russell, who also directed the actor's Oscar-winning performance in The Fighter, the film is appropriately scheduled for release next Thanksgiving (in honor of the guy who also did so much for the turducken).
In 2023, Amazon MGM Studios announced that the movie would center around Madden's "Super Bowl-winning partnership with fellow coach Al Davis and the Raiders, to creating Madden NFL, and becoming one of the most iconic voices in football history."
Madden died in 2021 at the age of 85. Madden had guided the Raiders to a championship in 1977 before departing the sidelines for his equally remarkable tenure in the radio booth. Davis passed away in 2011 at the age of 82. The Raiders, who are currently based in Las Vegas and last won the Super Bowl in 1984, are still controlled by his son Mark Davis. A small portion of the team is owned by Tom Brady.
In Madden, Kathryn Hahn plays Virginia Madden, John's wife; Sienna Miller plays Carol Davis, Al's wife; and John Mulaney plays Trip Hawkins, the founder of Electronic Arts, who had the brilliant idea to sign the legendary football commentator. This collaboration led to a small video game series.
Thinking back to the 1970s and how today's celebrities suited up to look at home.
