Nicolas Cage cast in Jesus Christ horror film

Nicolas Cage is set to star in a horror movie inspired by the childhood of Jesus Christ.

The 60-year-old actor has been cast alongside FKA Twigs and Noah Jupe as the Holy Family in Lofty Nathan's upcoming film 'The Carpenter’s Son' inspired by the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which is said to recount the early years of the Son of God and has been rejected by scholars and the church.

As reported by Deadline, Cage will play the Carpenter, with FKA Twigs taking on the role of the Mother, and Jupe playing the Boy.

The movie's official synopsis reads: "'The Carpenter’s Son' tells the dark story of a family hiding out in Roman Egypt.

"The son, known only as ‘the Boy’, is driven to doubt by another mysterious child and rebels against his guardian, the Carpenter, revealing inherent powers and a fate beyond his comprehension.

"As he exercises his own power, the Boy and his family become the target of horrors, natural and divine.”

Filming is set to get underway this summer.

Last year, Cage suggested he may retire from the movie business soon, and only has "three or four" films left in him after working on 2023's 'Dream Scenario'.

He told Vanity Fair magazine: "It’s starting to solidify - I’m starting to cement my plan. I may have three or four more movies left in me.

"I do feel I’ve said what I’ve had to say with cinema. I think I took film performance as far as I could."

He emphasised his desire to "say bye on a high note" to film acting as he wishes to spend more time with his 18-month-old daughter August – who he has with his wife Riko Shibata.

He explained: "I was taking stock of how much time I had left.

"I thought, 'OK, my dad died at 75, I’m going to be turning 60. If I’m lucky, I have maybe a good 15 years and hopefully more. What do I want to do with those 15 years, using my father as the model?'

"It occurred very clearly to me that I want to spend time with my family."