Cage will voice the vodka-drinking, Flashdance loving dragon of the show’s title. 

Previously in development for Amazon, Deadline have broken the news that Highfire is on the move to Paramount+.

The “genre-bending” show is being adapted from Eoin Colfer’s novel of the same name. Unlike his enduring Artemis Fowl and its spin-offs, it’s described as a fantasy for adults.

Here’s the premise for Highfire:

Once upon a time, dragons ruled the earth and Lord Highfire ruled the dragons from his eyrie. But this is not once upon a time, this is now, and now all Lord Highfire rules is his shack in Louisiana’s Honey Island Swamp.

Highfire has become plain old ‘Vern’ and, by day, he hides out among the alligators, watches cable-TV and drinks obscene amounts of vodka to pass the time. It isn’t much of a life but he’s alive to live it, and Vern is prepared do whatever it takes – even if its violent – to preserve his own hide.

When Vern’s world collides with a human teen named Squib, who becomes mixed up in some trouble while running booze for the local mob, their mutual struggle for survival becomes entangled in the most unlikely of friendships.

The live-action Highfire show is described as a gritty crime-thriller with doses of magical realism. It stars Nicolas Cage as the voice of Vern and Davey Holmes is adapting the book for television. Both are executive producers, alongside Andrew Mittman of 1.21 Entertainment via his exclusive production deal at MGM/UA TV.

Nicolas Cage

This is a rare foray into the world of television for Nicolas Cage, although he was linked until recently to a show about Tiger King’s Joe Exotic.

Of course, his eclectic movie career continues apace. The actor most recently played a version of himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and has at least four films in the pipeline, including playing Dracula in Renfield.

We’ll keep you posted on Highfire and if you want to know more about the story, it’s worth checking out the author’s website.