Cage makes some moves on 'Wrestler'

Nicolas Cage is in talks to star in screenwriter Robert Siegel's indie drama "The Wrestler."

The film, now in development at Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures, centers on Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a 1980s-era star pro wrestler who has become a burnt-out shell of his former self. After he has a heart attack during a small-time match, a doctor tells him he could die if he fights again.

In an effort to build a new life, Robinson takes a job at a deli, moves in with an aging stripper and tries to build a relationship with her son. But the prospect of a rematch with his old nemesis the Ayatollah proves too tempting to resist, even if it means risking his life.

Brooklyn-based Protozoa, named after Aronofsky's 1993 short, has been behind all of the director's features, including "Pi," "Requiem for a Dream" and "The Fountain." The possibility of Aronofsly directing could not be confirmed at press time, and it's unclear if Cage's Saturn Films will jump on board to produce as well.

Cage next stars in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," the sequel to his hit 2004 film. He's repped by CAA and Bloom Hergott Diemer.