Nicolas Cage Is Now a Japanese Snack Called the ‘Nicolastick’
Nicolas Cage, whose aura has found new life after a swath of memes, an epic freakout compilation, and an antagonistic relationship with bees rocketed him to ironic internet fame, is now the totally weird poster-child for a popular Japanese snack.
Cage's face usually appears on the cusp of a psychotic break, but it certainly looks serene on the packaging of a limited-edition batch of Umaibo puffed corn sticks. Although kids these days hardly remember his explosive performance in The Rock, the actor's omnipresence on Tumblr isn't the reason he's emblazoned on the snack wrappers in Japan. The specialty corn sticks are a promotional endeavor for the Japanese release of his 2016 film, Army Of One, and they've even been christened with a specific name: the Umaibo Nicolastick. Japan truly has it all.
Fortunately for Cage, his countenance will grace the wrappers of a beloved national junk food staple, as Umaibo puffed corn sticks are consumed en masse by Japanese teens who likely haven't seen his terrifying performance in Bad Lieutenant. The snacks retail for 10 Yen -- the equivalent of about 9 cents in the United States -- so you can trust that plenty of smiling Nicolas Cages will get crumpled up and thrown in the garbage after the film exits Japanese theaters.
If you happen to be in Japan hunting down massive ramen bowls, you might as well try your hand at eating Nicolas Cage: The only way to get your mitts on an Umaibo Nicolastick is through buying an Army Of One ticket at three select theaters in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. This means most us will have to remain satisfied scouring the internet's vast Cage-meme database or watching Con Air like it's still 1997.
Not like we weren't already doing that, or anything.
Update: Nicolas Cage claims he never endorsed, or gave permission for the Umaibo puffed corn sticks to use his face on promotional wrappers. “Nicolas Cage is in no way engaged with an endorsement for the Japanese snack food brand Riska as recently reported in the news media," a representative from FilmNation Entertainment said in a statement.
Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email and subscribe here for our YouTube channel to get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.