Nicolas Cage reveals he’s set to swap acting for the director’s chair in ‘three or four years’

Hollywood A-lister Nicolas Cage has revealed that he will quit acting in “three or four years”.

Speaking to press in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, Cage said that he would like to switch his on-screen performances with behind-the-scenes production.

Cage, who is currently promoting his latest action thriller Primal, said: “Directing is something I look forward to down the road, because right now I’m primarily a film performer.

“I’m going to continue doing that for three or four years and then I’d like to focus more on directing,” he added.

The action movie heavyweight has enjoyed global success over the course of his thirty year career, with films such as Con Air and National Treasure.

The 59-year-old star admitted that he can be “self-destructive” when he is not “focused” on a role, explaining how he enjoys “the structure of work” and “routine” that coincides with a film set.

Cage also acknowledged that his financial troubles have affected the quality of projects he has worked on.

“I have had to dig myself up and out of a rabbit hole financially,” he said. “I had to find movies that work for me in terms of performance but also like else to pay the bills. It is a job after all.”

One of Hollywood’s top earning actors, Cage once squandered his $150 million fortune on extravagant purchases including two European castles, a private island in the Bahamas, as well as the “haunted” LaLaurie mansion in New Orleans.

Before he retires from screens, Cage added “I like the power of film” and that he is now “better than [he has] ever been.”