Nicolas Cage Tried to Build an $80 Million Film Studio in Las Vegas, But ‘Then Elon Musk Came In’

Nicolas Cage revealed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that he once tried to get a movie studio built in Las Vegas and had even secured $80 million to do so. What went wrong? The actor said Elon Musk came to town and Las Vegas opted to put the money into the Tesla corporation instead of his desired movie studio. Cage lives in Las Vegas, and the city has been the backdrop for some of his films like “Leaving Las Vegas” and “Honeymoon in Vegas.” Cage won an Oscar for best actor for his performance in “Leaving Las Vegas.”

“Vegas has been good to me, it really has,” Cage said. “It’s both a small town and a big city. It’s probably one of the most unique addresses. If you want to go to the strip and participate you can. If you want to just go with the locals and go to the cool restaurants then you can.”

Cage confirmed he originally moved to Las Vegas for tax reasons, but “then I learned to love it.” The actor added, “I’ve had great experiences making movies there. ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ was great. ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’ is great. I’ve got good mojo there. I tried to get a movie studio built there and then Elon Musk came in, and all the money I got for the movie studio — I got $80 million — they put into the Tesla corporation, which then ironically drained all of the water out of the city. But I almost got it, I almost got a movie studio.”

Cage is currently on his press tour for “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” in which he plays a fictionalized version of himself. The Lionsgate release opens in theaters Friday. Variety chief film critic Owen Gleiberman called the film “a witty meditation” on Cage’s legacy as an actor, adding, “It’s a commercial comedy that has a delirious good time poking fun at Nicolas Cage, celebrating everything that makes him Nicolas Cage — and, in the end, actually becoming a Nicolas Cage movie, which turns out to be both a cheesy thing and a special thing.”

Watch Cage’s full appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in the video below.

From Variety US