Nicolas Cage Slated For "Bad Lieutenant" Remake

Hollywood, CA (CNS) - Nicholas Cage will get a chance to project his smarmy, bad-guy real life image onto the big screen this coming year, as the actor has signed on to play the title role in the remake of "Bad Lieutenant."

With Werner Herzog directing, the rehash of 1992's Harvey Keitel-starring feature will be officially announced at Cannes Film Festival, with production starting later this summer.

With the same producer, Edward R. Pressman, as the original, 'Lieutenant' figures to cover more of the same drugs, gambling and sex ground that earned it an NC-17 rating upon release 15 years ago.

The new script was written by TV veteran Billy Finkelstein, whose work has included episodes of "Murder One," "Law & Order," and "NYPD Blue."

Cage is currently in Australia filming "Knowing."