Nicolas Cage Transforms Beyond Recognition in the Trailer for Best Pancakes in the County
Nicolas Cage is almost unrecognizable in the first trailer for Best Pancakes in the County, a crime thriller that turns an ordinary small-town diner into the setting for a dangerous confrontation involving a fast-talking con man and rogue federal agents.
Written and directed by Ken Sanzel, the film also stars Justin Long and Shelley Hennig. IFC Films is set to release the thriller in select theaters and on digital platforms on November 20, 2026.
Nicolas Cage Plays a Con Man in a Deadly Diner Standoff
Cage takes on the role of a smooth-talking criminal known as The S.O.B. In the trailer, his character reveals that he is interested in more than a quiet meal, hinting at a conspiracy involving sensitive information about the CIA.
“Nine years ago, there was a hard drive with dirt on the CIA,” he says, before adding that he hopes the information can be turned into money.
The diner soon becomes the centre of a violent standoff, bringing together criminals and federal agents whose competing interests threaten to turn the situation deadly. What appears to be an unremarkable roadside establishment becomes the backdrop for a tense struggle in which nobody’s loyalties can be taken for granted.
Cage’s character also offers a pointed explanation for choosing the location, asking, “Why do you think I insisted on meeting here? For the pancakes?”
The film’s premise combines crime, action and darkly comic moments, with the diner providing an unlikely setting for a confrontation that could spiral out of control.
An Ensemble Cast Led by Nicolas Cage and Justin Long
Alongside Cage, the cast includes Justin Long, Shelley Hennig, Lauren German, Ravi Patel, Brandon Mychal Smith, Kelly Greyson, Jaylen Moore and Michael Sirow.
The film credits Eduard Osipov, Raja Collins, Eric Brenner, Niko Fomenko, Gary Preisler and R. Wesley Sierk III as producers. Its executive producers include John D. Straley, Audra Gricius, Jina Panebianco, Lance Kawas, Ahmed S. Boomrod, Eugene Pruss and Nadine de Barros.
For Sanzel, the project also marks another collaboration with Cage following their work together on the 2019 action thriller Kill Chain.
What’s Next for Nicolas Cage?
Best Pancakes in the County arrives during a busy period for Cage, whose recent feature credits include The Carpenter’s Son, Gunslingers and Longlegs. He has also taken the lead role in the series Spider-Noir.
The Oscar-winning actor is additionally set to portray NFL legend John Madden in Amazon MGM Studios’ biographical film Madden, starring alongside Christian Bale and directed by David O. Russell.
Long also has several upcoming projects, including the horror film Lice and Amazon MGM’s romantic comedy You Deserve Each Other, in which he stars alongside Penn Badgley and Meghann Fahy.
With Cage leading a story built around criminal schemes, questionable alliances and a diner caught in the middle of a violent dispute, Best Pancakes in the County is set to bring a distinctly unconventional crime thriller to theaters and digital platforms on November 20.
