Nicolas Cage Says He Feels “Pride of Ownership” Over LONGLEGS Killer Inspired by His Mother
Some movie goers thought Longlegs delivered a heafty dose of nightmare fuel, and now that a follow-up is officially on the way, Nicolas Cage is finally opening up about returning to that terrifying serial killer universe.
The actor recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the newly announced Longlegs 2, and it sounds like he has no interest in handing the role over to anyone else. Cage formed a surprisingly personal connection to the character, even revealing that part of the performance was inspired by his own mother.
“I guess you could say I have the pride of ownership of that character. That character is personal to me because I was influenced by my mom – not that my mom was crazy like that, she wasn't satanic, but I don't want someone else playing my mom, so if they're gonna do it, you're doing it with me.”
That adds a whole new layer to the already amusingly unsettling performance Cage delivered in Longlegs. The movie introduced audiences to the pale-faced occult serial killer known as Longlegs, a disturbing dollmaker murderer whose bizarre behavior instantly became horror fan obsession material.
Directed by Osgood Perkins, the film followed Maika Monroe as a troubled FBI agent investigating a string of occult-linked murders connected to Longlegs himself. As the investigation unraveled, things became deeply personal, leading to one of the creepiest horror movies released in years.
The movie exploded online after release and turned into a genuine horror phenomenon, earning an impressive 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes while generating nonstop discussion across social media.
Perkins has since followed it up with his adaptation of Stephen King’s The Monkey, but now he’s heading back into the twisted world of Longlegs as writer and director of the next chapter.
This time, Paramount is backing the project instead of Neon, though details are still mostly locked away.
Cage admitted he currently doesn’t “know what the story is,” which honestly makes this project even more intriguing. According to THR, the new film reportedly isn’t being presented as a direct sequel, but rather another story set within the same universe.
That creates one pretty obvious question. How exactly does Longlegs return after dying in the first movie?
Considering the original leaned heavily into curses, occult forces, and supernatural weirdness, bringing the killer back from the dead doesn’t feel out of bounds at all. There’s also the possibility the new movie explores the character’s earlier years and what pushed him into becoming the monster audiences saw in the first film.
Either way, Cage isn’t done with the character yet, and that’s probably good news for fans of the first film. His performance in Longlegs was pure nightmare fuel in the best possible way.
Longlegs 2 is currently set to hit theaters on January 14, 2028.