Nicolas Cage to play a crooked cop, a college professor, and a disgraced politician in three new movies

At this point, the craziest thing Nicolas Cage can do is turn in a subdued performance. His performance in David Gordon Green’s Joe has been hailed as “quietly intense” and “not a caricature,” but—after the upcoming Rage—Cage will have plenty more opportunities to return to screaming madman form, as he’s already signed on for three, potentially crazy film roles.

First, Highland Film Group announced at Cannes that Cage will star alongside Boardwalk Empire’s Jack Huston in the crime thriller The Trust. Cage has played a cop many times before, but hopefully this one will allow him to channel Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans for a tale of crooked cops who uncover a vast conspiracy after discovering a mysterious, highly coveted safe.

Also this week at Cannes, Voltage Films announced its new supernatural thriller Pay The Ghost, starring Cage as an English teacher (a role he played before in Seeking Justice) who experiences haunting visions of his young son, one year after the boy disappears from a Halloween parade. The premise sort-of recalls Don’t Look Now, but in Cage’s hands—if we’re lucky—it could end up more like The Wicker Man.

Finally, The Wrap announced today that Cage is set to star in The Runner as Colin Price, a New Orleans congressman (a role he somehow hasn’t played before) who’s forced to face his demons after a sex scandal ends his political career. The potential for scenery chewing is especially high on this one, since Nicolas Cage will get to use both his Louisiana accent and his butt-touching face.