Nicolas Cage to Direct, Star in 'Vengeance: A Love Story'

Cage will play a detective in the film based on Joyce Carol Oates’ novel.

Nicolas Cage will not only star in Vengeance: A Love Story, but he also has signed on to direct the film.

Cage, who previously helmed the 2002 film Sonny starring James Franco, will star as Detective John Dromoor in the film, which is based on Joyce Carol Oates' novel Rape: A Love Story.

The story centers on Cage's detective character who is asked to help a woman named Teena, who is gang-raped over the Fourth of July weekend. Teena's daughter, who witnessed the attack, asks the detective to help her when it seems that her mother's attackers may be getting away with it when the lawyers put the focus on Teena's credibility, based on her sobriety and sexual promiscuity.

“I'm excited to work on Vengeance: A Love Story and bring Joyce Carol Oates’ bittersweet novel to the screen. Storytelling has always been my passion and I'm honored to work with this talented team to tell a tale of the suffering too many women have endured,” says Cage.

John Mankiewicz wrote the script for the film, which is being produced by Michael Mendelsohn, CEO of Patriot Pictures and Union Patriot Capital Management. Harold Becker, who was previously attached to direct, will executive produce with Mike Nilon. Shooting is slated to begin April 4 in Atlanta.

Cage previously worked with Mendelsohn on several films, including USS Indianapolis and Rage. The actor's upcoming films include Trust, which will play at SXSW, Snowden, Dog Eat Dog and Army of One. He's repped by CAA and LINK Entertainment.