The Big Lead

Christian Bale joins Nicolas Cage on John Madden movie cast

By Joe Lago

Center, actor Christian Bale waits on the grid before the start of the 103rd running of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, May 26, 2019. 103rd Runnning Of The Indy 500 At Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday May 26 2019
Center, actor Christian Bale waits on the grid before the start of the 103rd running of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, May 26, 2019. 103rd Runnning Of The Indy 500 At Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday May 26 2019 / Jenna Watson/IndyStar
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David O. Russell's casting decisions continue to make "Madden," his biographical drama of legendary Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden, one of the more fascinating sports movie projects in recent years.

RELATED: John Madden movie casts the most unlikely actor to play Hall of Fame coach

In August, Russell cast Nicolas Cage to play Madden, the burly leader of the 1976 Raiders squad that won the franchise's first Super Bowl title against the Minnesota Vikings with a 32-14 victory at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 9, 1977.

On Sunday, Jeff Sneider of The InSneider newsletter reported that Russell has cast another former Academy Award winner for "Madden." Christian Bale will play Al Davis, the Raiders' legendary owner.

Playing Davis shouldn't be much of a stretch for Bale. Other than speaking in Davis' Brooklyn accent and wearing his famous all-black (and all-white) outfits, the "American Psycho" and "The Dark Knight" star should shine next to Cage, who'll need quite the costume and makeup job to play Madden.

Madden's post-coaching accomplishments helped him reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He set the standard for NFL broadcast analysts with his layman's approach to X's and O's and jovial style, which he exhibited on Thanksgiving with his love for turducken.

Russell, who included Philadelphia Eagles fandom as part of his 2012 comedy "Silver Linings Playbook," previously said in a statement that Cage "will portray the best of the American spirit of originality, fun, and determination in which anything is possible as beloved national legend John Madden."

Added Russell: "Together with the ferocious style, focus, and inspired individualism of Al Davis, owner of the underdog Oakland Raiders, the feature will be about the joy, humanity and genius that was John Madden in a wildly inventive, cool world of the 1970s."

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