Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance star Nicolas Cage has revealed that he was first in line to voice Shrek.

Speaking about his friendship with DreamWorks boss Jeffrey Katzenberg, Cage said: "At one point we were talking about Shrek and I just didn't want to look like an ogre. Maybe I should've done it looking back. But we kept trying to find the right match."

The 49-year-old star and Katzenberg have finally teamed up for a new animated movie called The Croods, which centres on the world's very first prehistoric family that go on a road trip to an uncharted and fantastical world.

Cage, lends his voice to the character Grug in the movie, explained what appealed to him about the plot, adding: "They all came out to New Orleans and met with me and showed me a picture of Grug and said, 'Look Nic, this is how I see you'! I said, 'I hope I don't really look like that, but I think I'll do this'.

"What really got me about Grug is his emotional transformation from an overprotective father who is surviving but not living and then he learns how to let go and live and I like that. That's what appealed to me most. I like a movie that can make you laugh and make you cry."

The Croods hits cinemas on March 22.

