Nicolas Cage Declares 'I Am Wrath'; William Friedkin Could Direct

Just days after he boarded the David Gordon Green drama Joe, the very busy Nicolas Cage has signed on for yet another new project. And unlike Green's gritty literary drama, this one puts Cage back in the thriller genre where he's apparently most comfortable.

Emmett/Furla Films, which was also behind Cage's recently wrapped The Frozen Ground, is re-teaming with the actor for I Am Wrath, a crime thriller scripted by Paul Sloan. If there's anything about the project that gives us hope it'll rise above recent Cage duds like Seeking Justice and Trespass, though, it's the involvement of William Friedkin. The 77-year-old filmmaker is reportedly eyeing I Am Wrath as his follow-up to this year's Killer Joe. More after the jump.

The storyline sounds so typically Cage that I'm surprised he hasn't already made this movie. That's not necessarily a negative, however, and if Friedkin can make the best of the material it could end up being a fun genre piece. While Friedkin's record isn't spotless, he's directed some very memorable thrillers including The Exorcist, The French Connection, and To Live and Die in LA. His last film, the NC-17 Killer Joe, benefited from Friedkin's admirable willingness to go over-the-top, and it's easy to see how a similarly unrestrained sensibility could complement Cage's trademark nuttiness.

But that's if Friedkin signs on, which isn't a certainty at this point. Emmett/Furla will have to lock down a director soon either way, as production is slated to start in February. Lionsgate is set to distribute, though a release date has not been announced as of yet.