Nicolas Cage does not stop. The beloved actor has already starred in four new movies in 2023 (plus a cameo in The Flash), but his fifth, Dream Scenario, may end up being the one that sticks out from this year.
Dream Scenario is an A24 movie that was flying under the radar until it started to make a splash at the fall film festivals. Now, there is some awards buzz for Cage in this strange but timely comedy from writer/director Kristoffer Borgli and producer Ari Aster.
Find out everything you need to know about Dream Scenario right here.
Dream Scenario release date
Dream Scenario is now playing in select movie theaters in the US, with it expanding nationwide on November 22. The movie is also currently playing in the UK.
Dream Scenario plot
Kristoffer Borgli wrote the script for this original idea. Here is the official synopsis for Dream Scenario:
"Hapless family man Paul Matthews finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. But when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom."
Dream Scenario cast
Nicolas Cage stars as Paul Matthews in Dream Scenario. As we mentioned, this is Cage's fifth starring role in 2023, following his turns in The Old Way, Renfield, Sympathy for the Devil and The Retirement Plan. Cage has always kept himself busy, with more than 100 acting credits on his resume, which famously include Moonstruck, Raising Arizona, Leaving Las Vegas (which he won an Oscar for), Face/Off, Con Air, The Rock, Adaptation, National Treasure, Pig and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
The supporting cast of Dream Scenario is nothing to sneeze at either. It includes Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown, Blonde) as Paul's wife Janet, Michael Cera (Barbie, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) as branding executive Trent and Kate Berlant (Don't Worry Darling, A League of Their Own) as branding executive Mary. In currently unspecified roles are Tim Meadows (Poker Face, The Goldbergs), Dylan Gelula (I Want You Back, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Dylan Baker (Hunters, Homeland).
Dream Scenario trailer
The trailer for Dream Scenario is here, where Nicolas Cage is the man of everyone's dreams. Watch directly below:
Dream Scenario reviews
Dream Scenario is officially "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, with the movie earning an 91% positive score as of November 16. Here is a sampling about what critics have to say about the movie:
Mark Hanson, Slant Magazine: "Dream Scenario presents a perfectly absurdist setup that allows Nicolas Cage to flex his singular acting muscles in increasingly hilarious directions."
Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter: "Cage is comedy gold in one of the year's sharpest comedies yet."
Pete Hammond, Deadline: "What is remarkable is how Borgli is able to stretch out what is essentially a one-joke premise into a 101-minute film without letting the soufflé go flat — no easy task."
Dream Scenario director
Kristoffer Borgli, who hails from Norway, makes his English-language debut with Dream Scenario. His previous notable work was the 2022 movie Sick of Myself, which played at the Cannes Film Festival. His only prior feature credit is the 2017 movie Drib, but he has directed a number of acclaimed short films.
